Spirited Away: The Seed of Existence
by amazingartistry
Summary: This is the third part to the spirited away fan fiction I'm writing. The first one is called 'Spirited Away: The Second Immersion' the sequel to that is 'Spirited Away: The Gatekeeper's'. READ THESE FIRST. If you have made it to the third part, enjoy the story. :)
1. Chapter 1

****Hello readers! Welcome back to my story! :D for those of you who have read both the first and the second one... You are so amazing. In general, the fan fiction may have been a slow start, but I'm glad to say I've made it this far. I have never finished a good story, let alone published it online. I hope that you will all enjoy the third one just as much, if not more than the first and second.**

 **I am very excited.**

 **Enjoy Chapter 1! :)****

Chapter 1: The Dragon's Jaw

Hiro was sitting around in a dark and dingy cell.

The floors were damp, and covered with this mud like slime. The whole place smelled like a twice digested sewer. All of her clothes and armor were taken, and replaced with rags by big burly men who insisted on stripping her in front of the other prisoners. She had done a number on them for that before she was restrained and put into solitary confinement.

Her legs were bound to the floor by chains, and her hands were all slimy and sticky from the residue on the ground.

She grimaced.

"I just really hope that's not what I think it is..."

An older sounding man gave a heavy sigh.

"It's best not to wonder... Get thinking about such things too much, and you'll surely go mad."

Hiro stopped. This man didn't sound like the hardened criminals she had encountered on the upper floors. He seemed to have been aged by this place.

Physical spirit beings can age in a sense. Some prefer that look, and to some it is a symbol of celibacy, but that's more rare...

Then there are those who are aged by misery and suffering. It forces a wisdom that shows on your features.

Hiro couldn't see anything... It was so dark, and her eyes hadn't adjusted to the pitch black.

"I guess so..." She said.

"Why is it so dark? I can't see a thing..."

The man sighed. "They do it to keep us in a state of fear, and it makes it harder to escape. I could have been able too... It's too bad they have already killed me. Night vision was one of the many spells that would have aided me in my escape."

Hiro blinked.

"You're a spirit then? Where are you?"

"I'm not actually here... I'm protecting you from the other spirits."

She froze.

"Other spirits?"

"Why is it do you think, that you have been unplagued by most medium troubles for so long?" He asked.

"I have been watching over you for quite some time Hiro, and it is most inopportune that we should meet here."

"Why here?" Hiro asked.

"Why now, after all this time."

He sighed sadly.

"I have had my hands full... Warding off assailant spirits isn't a job for the faint of heart. The fact that I am making time to talk to you now, may not actually be so good for you. I'm afraid I can no longer protect you from the whisperings of other spirits, there are other dangers that are far more great in your path. Worse than the spirits... You will have to determine who to trust on your own now... I will instead put every effort into steering you away from this danger."

"What danger?" Hiro asked. "And who are you?"

"This danger is eventually inevitable, depending on how your family and friends fair in the trials ahead. I will steer you from it as long as there is still hope to protect you. My name is Uwayaku-Kuhn. I am your father's father, and your grandfather. This place is called the Dragon's Jaw, from which there is no escape... Supposedly."

Hiro sighed.

"Dad mentioned you once... He never really knew you. Why is that?"

She felt a sorrow hanging in the air.

The figure of Uwayaku-Kuhn appeared before her. He looked like her dad, and had the same eye color they shared, but he looked a lot older.

"I, much like you, and my son Kaihn, am a Blood Syphoner. We had originally lived in Deadmarch, and Sora was my wife. She was the mother of my three sons, who were but mere infants upon my capture. I had told her to flee Deadmarch with our son's, and told her I would find her... I did lie. I do have my regrets on never being able to raise them, but I do not regret protecting them... It is unfortunate that Kaihn was swallowed and sealed by his poltergeist... I do wish that I could have given him the training to ward off such things. All blood syphoner's have somewhat mediumistic traits. The level of yours does concern me... Without training, you will be swallowed by a most horrendous poltergeist. Some are more fortunate, and never encounter such a problem, developing their abilities normally. You are not so fortunate."

Hiro laughed bitterly.

"Clearly not! Look where I am... You said something about a poltergeist?"

He sighed with annoyance. "You are your father's daughter. Were you even listening child? I said it will swallow you."

She scoffed. "I know that! I was about to ask what happens when you get swallowed."

"Then don't be vague." He said sternly.

"Speak what you mean, and don't play the daft one."

"Geeze... Well aren't you harsh." She said coldly.

She softened. "Thank you for protecting me. Sorry about that... Um, so what does happen when you get swallowed? Are you still alive? For how long?"

He smiled.

"Those are good questions."

His face fell, and his expression became darkened.

"Yes, you are swallowed by a poltergeist who entraps you in your body and mind... You are fully aware of your actions and deeds. The poltergeist also feeds off of the torture of it's victims, and of it's inner host. The Kaihn you know is a manifested demon of resent and festered hatred... The real Kaihn, my son, is being held captive by the poltergeist."

Hiro went pale.

"That's horrible... Why would... That's just awful."

His expression was painfully sorrowful.

"It is... My son has also been protecting you, by swaying the demon to leave you generally unharmed, and likening you to him. He is the one who also keeps the demon searching, at times blindly, for your location... He has suffered for this greatly."

Hiro teared up.

"So... The real Kaihn is taking so many blows for me."

She looked at him.

"Even you have been protecting me... And here I thought I had it so bad."

She burst into tears.

"I was always complaining! I was always looking for trouble, and being just... Just stupid! I didn't know! I swear I didn't know! I'm sorry!"

She felt a warmth as the spirit wrapped it's arms around her.

"You could not have known... I wouldn't have wanted you to. Children often make mistakes, if they did not, they would learn nothing. Kuhn, and no one else, is innocent of such mistakes. I will not lie, it isn't wise, and often stupid. You are smart, you are just not wise."

"I don't feel smart." She sniffed.

"But that sounds reasonable. How do I get wise? I'm sick of messing up!"

He laughed loudly.

"That IS how you get wise! You are much like your father..."

He looked at Hiro.

"You say that you didn't know then what you know now. That is some wisdom... Now that you have gained that much, take it in, and stop complaining. A positive outlook can hinder most turmoil."

She looked down.

"Damn... You really are wise."

His eye twitched.

"You will refrain from such language, as it is unbecoming of a maiden."

She gave a look of protest.

"That wasn't that bad! And... Well, it's kind of a bad habit."

He looked at her sternly.

"I will be your guardian on the blood roads, until then, and after. I say you will refrain from such language. You will do so. Bad habits form when the proper discipline is not invoked, I will help you, and you will thank me later."

She looked down stubbornly.

"Well, thanks and all, but you can't boss me around."

"Yes I can, and I will." He said, just as, if not more stubborn.

"You cannot simply be allowed to run a mock with no guidance. No parental figures or such keeping you in line. Did you think that when you left, I would leave you to do as you please? You are but thirteen, and a lady."

"AND a lady!?" She exclaimed.

"Just because I'm a lady, doesn't mean I'm some damn delicate flow-!"

She felt a small zap on her hand.

She grabbed her hand.

"Ow! That fucking sm-!"

Larger zap.

"Ow! Okay that shit-"

Another larger zap.

"That HURTS!"

She exclaimed.

"You're such a..."

She stopped, and gritted her teeth.

"A very mean person who zaps people... Not nice."

"I am your guardian, not your friend." He said firmly.

"And that worked, didn't it."

She glared at the ground bitterly.

"Yes. It did."

"Also, your conduct with that boy is deplorable." He commented.

She sighed.

"Please don't. Are we really going there?"

His gaze remained firm.

"I understand that you don't understand. If that boy cherishes you, he will cherish you under rules as well. At this age, he should be polite, and in fact, insist on restraint. Courting comes at an older age than this. He has shown some fair qualities of this, but your conduct is unacceptable."

She looked down, her face red from embarrassment.

That last comment stung a little.

"You know? I'm going to try and be as honest as I can with that. Usually I blow up, or get mad. That never works out well, and with you? I could see it going worse. I just... Well, a few things. I don't want to just back track, and I guess I see your point... Kind of. That kind of hurt..."

He sighed.

"My intention was not to hurt you... Thank you for being honest. Perhaps I should be a little more gentle, but that changes no rules. Boundaries are only put there to protect you, not to hinder you. He will probably understand more than you'd think. If someone is not willing to cherish you under all circumstances, then they are not worthy."

She looked up thoughtfully... She'd never thought of it that way.

"So, what ARE your rules...?" She asked.

He nodded.

"Yes. First and foremost, the extensive kissing and formication ends."

She went red.

"You don't have to put it that way! Damn, your so... Wait, I-!"

He zapped her again.

She scoffed. "It was an accident, but whatever."

"There will be less accidents this way." He said.

She glared at him... Then she sighed.

"And I thought my dad was strict..."

He laughed. "Well, not really... At all, actually."

She smirked. "I don't know about that. Maybe your just over the top..."

He shook his head.

"Perhaps... But I doubt it. I will continue now. Second. Holding hands, and casual hugs are acceptable. Receiving comfort is acceptable. This constant cuddling and holding you two do... Not acceptable."

She looked away irritably.

"Fine." She said flatly.

He gave an annoyed sigh.

"And do show some respect for your elders... I will forgive it this time, but when you answer me, please respond with, 'Yes Ojiisan.' Or 'Yes sir.' Your choice."

"Yes sir." She said.

He nodded. "Fair enough."

She looked around the cell, and her eyes had slightly adjusted. She was aware of her surroundings again, and shivered.

"This place feels off, just bad vibes all around."

He sighed. "That is a psychic feeling of distress, when harmful or tortured spirits are bound to a place. I can help you with deciphering this for now, but you must pay attention. There is a small shiv to your left, and a rigid wire near the back of the room."

Both of the things glowed blue momentarily.

She shuffled over, and picked both of them up.

She nodded. "Thanks, this will be more than enough."

He blinked in surprise. "Really? The lock's are not simple ones, and-"

She had finished before he finished the sentence.

"Done." She said.

He stopped.

"So you are... I apologize, I have not watched your actions often, as it was a challenge to ward spirits off. I saw some things... My, what trouble you must have caused my son! He has had his work cut out for him it seems..."

She smiled sadly. "You have no idea..."

She stood, and felt a horrible twist in her leg.

She let out a scream. "Dam- just, ow! Sorry... Really trying!"

She fell to the ground, and grabbed her leg.

"It felt bad, but I didn't think it was broken!... Until I walked on it. Why is it always broken bones with me?"

He examined the leg.

"That is broken... Well, I cannot train you in most techniques, because I am not a living blood syphoner... I can however, show you some things. You are a Syphoner that can use blood to give yourself physical strength. This can also be used to restore injuries that are not severed. For now you must walk on it, but if you can manage drawing even a small amount of blood from a watchman, use his power to heal yourself. They haven't sealed your blood magic as they did mine, because they are not aware of it. Use this to your advantage."

She cringed. "I... Okay. I just really don't like the idea..."

"Do not be afraid." He said.

"It is a useful ability, and your birthright."

She sighed. "Alright then... How do I use it though?"

"Focus the power on your injury. Then, instead of converting immediately to strength, it will mend your wounds."

She nodded. "Right, thank you."

She stood, and grabbed the wall next to the gate as pain pulsed through her leg.

"I have a high pain tolerance." She said between gritted teeth.

"But this hurts."

"I know." He said. "But you must escape today. This danger is nearing, and you must accomplish your task and leave to the blood roads as soon as possible. Bring the ill woman with you if you must"

Her breathing became shaky as she felt the bones in her leg, digging into her flesh.

She let out a painful whimper, and edged toward the gate.

She picked each lock in quick succession, and the gate slowly opened.

She managed to sneak past some guards.

"Hiro...?" Eiji whispered.

"Is that you!?"

She nodded.

"Yeah..." She said.

"I'm out... Let me get you out too. Where's Em?"

He sighed. "I think she's in a lower cell... They bound my magic with this odd seal. It feels like fire... It's this metal... Thing. It's like they sewed it into me or something."

Uwayaku-Kuhn sighed.

"So they have sealed his magic with a hard-silver seal... That may be difficult to remove."

Eiji jumped.

"Who's there!? Who was just speaking!?"

Hiro sighed. "It's... Actually my grandfather's spirit. He helped me escape."

She looked at Uwayaku-Kuhn.

"Yeah... Eiji can hear spirits, but he can't see them."

He nodded. "This will make communication easier, if anything..."

Hiro picked the lock on Eiji's cell, and he was able to walk out from there.

He had been more cooperative, so his limbs were unharmed.

"Which direction are we going?" Hiro asked.

Eiji pointed ahead.

"We walk straight, and turn right down some stairs... Then I don't know."

Hiro sighed. "Alright... Let's go."

She cringed as they began to move, Eiji noticed that she was limping.

"Are you okay? Hiro, what's wrong with your leg?"

"It's broken." She said.

"But we have to keep going... Uwayaku-Kuhn said that there's something dangerous coming. After we heal Freya, we have to leave."

Uwayaku-Kuhn gave Hiro a stern look.

"You will refer to me as Ojiisan, or your grandfather... You do not call your father by his first name, I would hope."

She sighed.

"Alright, grandfather then."

Eiji looked worried.

"What's this danger?"

There were guards turning the corner.

Eiji grabbed Hiro, and carried her to the corner of the stairwell entry, where there were shadows.

They stopped.

"What was that!?" One exclaimed.

"I don't know." Said another.

"I think I heard it run toward the stairs!"

They ran toward them, and looked straight at them.

"The prisoners have-!"

They stopped.

Uwayaku-Kuhn was hovering above them, doing some kind glamour on them.

"What are we doing here?" Asked one.

"I don't know..." Said the other.

"Man... This place sure does wig you out sometimes..."

They walked away in the opposite direction.

They both let out a sigh of relief.

"That was too close..." Hiro whispered.

"Yeah..." Eiji agreed.

"Let's save the questions for later... I'm going to carry you, is that okay?"

She nodded.

They moved quietly down the stairs, and roamed silently through the halls.

They heard Emi in the distance, and other voices as well.

"Oh jump! Just get! Away with all a ya! I said no."

"Please..." They echoed.

"Do it! Free me!" Some said.

"I'll make you..." Other's said.

The others were screams and cries for help.

"Fuck off!" She yelled.

"Ya can't make me do shit! What? I said jump! Get! Scram! Fuck all mighty! Do I hafta spell it out for ya!?"

Uwayaku-Kuhn gave a defeated sigh.

"What is wrong with the youth these days? Oh well, it seems your friend is also a medium."

Hiro nodded. "Looks like it, and she's getting mauled..."

They walked over to her cell.

She jumped.

"What the!? How in'th flyin' fuck did ya get out!? And who's this old geezer?"

"Watch your tongue!" He yelled.

"I am Uwayaku-Kuhn, Hiro's grandfather. I'm helping her escape, but that doesn't necessarily extend to you young lady... You may want to rethink your language around me."

"Geeze gramps..." She mumbled.

"Yer just the cheekiest old guy on the block, aintch'ya? Fine then... I'll stop my cursin' dammit."

He gave a heavy sigh.

"If that's the best you can do..."

Hiro picked her lock, but found it considerably harder than the others.

"Oh wow... They really wanted to keep you in, huh?"

She nodded. "Yeah... The fuckers... Fuck, sorry. Dammit, can I start over?"

He gave her a flat look.

"Yes. You may."

"Um... Well... The damn watcher's busted both've my legs. Chained my arms and busted legs they did. I think my arm's fucked up... I mean, busted too. I dunno if I can move, but I'll try... Damn flush's."

Hiro sighed.

"Put me down, and carry Emi." She said.

"She needs it more than I do."

Eiji nodded, and gently set her down.

"Be careful, okay?"

She stifled a cringe as she nodded.

"Alright, I will." She said.

Eiji knew she was in pain, and desperately wanted to tell her to stop moving.

Hiro limped over to Emi, and picked the locks on her chains with ease."

"Damn..." She said with awe.

"Yer pretty good at that... Ya got some silver hands with a pick."

She shrugged. "Basic patterns and puzzles... I've always been good at it."

She grinned. "Heh, no street smarts? That's a damn tall one yer tellin'..."

Hiro shook her head.

"Really, that's the best I know."

She gestured for Eiji to come over.

He walked over, and lifted her up.

She stifled a painful scream.

"For fuck sake!" She whispered.

"I mean... Be careful with me, ya know I bruise easy!"

Eiji shook his head.

"I think bruises are the least of your problems..."

She sighed when she felt the metal seal on his arm press against her shoulder.

"What did I tell ya 'bout castin' Eiji? Shit... That's gonna hurt like hell to get out... It hurt now, don't it?"

He nodded. "It does. It's bearable though, apparently we need to heal Freya, and get out of Deadmarch."

Emi froze.

"What's gonna happen to Deadmarch?"

Eiji sighed. "I don't know, and right now there's no time. We need to leave."

She was silent for a while as they walked back up the stairs.

She sniffed.

"I just wanted to make it better..." She said softly.

"I know the watch's always been kinda crazy, but I..."

She stayed silent, hoping no one would notice the tears streaming down her face.

"It has changed a lot." Said Uwayaku-Kuhn.

"I will help sway the citizens in evacuation, if that is what you choose to do."

Emi stopped.

"Y...You'd do that? Did ya used to live here old guy? Then... Then ya know what I'm sayin'! Things hafta change!"

"I know, but keep your voice down!" He exclaimed.

"Were I not here, someone would have heard you."

"Sorry..." She whispered.

"I'm kinda loud sometimes..."

"Sometimes...?" Hiro and Eiji whispered in sync.

She smirked. "Well, all the time, but ya ain't judgin' me are ya?"

Hiro gave a tired sigh.

"No... I'm not."

They approached the watch door.

"STOP!" Emi whispered loudly.

"that's the barracks! You'll get seen for sure! They'll string ya up then, and trust me, ya don't wanna go out that way."

They both gulped.

"There's a passage to the left that should free you from the watchmen's eye." Said Uwayaku-Kuhn.

"However, it may be dangerous in it's it's own right. It is your decision..."

Emi nodded.

"Let's take that path."

Eiji tensed, and shook his head.

"That's a bad idea."

She scoffed. "Ya got any better ones?"

He gestured toward the door.

"With the vibe I'm getting? I'd rather take my chances with Uwayaku-Kuhn's abilities and the watch."

Emi shook her head.

"Now that's a bad idea... Sure, we might get out. If we get seen, we're dead... At least in that shortcut we got a chance."

Eiji sighed. "Fine, we'll take the left passage."

They all walked toward the passage...

It seems Eiji had picked up on his mother's intuition.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2: Blood Trap, Mind Trap

Eiji was still carrying Emi, because it was clear she couldn't walk.

"Wow... For a small person, you sure are heavy!" He exclaimed.

She scoffed. "Well, I don't eat for shit neither, so ya have piss poor arms then."

She turned red. "That cake was pretty tasty though..."

Hiro sighed. "Em, sometimes I wonder about you..."

She laughed. "Not much of a poser that one! There ain't much to know."

She looked away. "Well, maybe just... One thing. Well... Kinda some other things... Damn."

They both looked at her.

"Out with it." They said flatly.

Emi gave an overdramatic and overdrawn sigh.

"Well... Um, you see... Those um... Ya know when I came to yer place, and, um..."

Uwayaku-Kuhn gave an utterly annoyed groan.

"Just say it! You are beating around the bush, and well... No. Don't do that."

"Fine!" She exclaimed.

"I stole them cufflinks, but... that was 'cause I was tricked!"

Hiro and Eiji paused for a moment.

"Seriously!?" They exclaimed.

She looked down. "I know! I know! I just... I didn't wanna make ya guys hate me. It wasn't because I'm just some no good mudlark..."

Hiro held the bridge of her nose.

"We know that. You probably had your reasons, but you should have told us."

Eiji sighed. "Do you really think we would hate you over stolen jewelry? I mean, even so, this is over the top for a punishment!"

"Why did you steal them?" Hiro asked.

Emi paused for a moment.

She gave a sad sigh.

"A girl named Amaya said she was wantin' them... I liked her for a long time. We been friends since we were just little tykes... I thought. She said that if I got her them cufflinks, we'd have enough to get out, 'n live somewhere nice... She said we'd get married, and... Damn her. She narked. Lied. Now I'm in this fix, and she's sittin' pretty with Niku!"

Eiji looked down. "But you said you were childhood friends... Why would she betray you?"

Emi looked away. "I don't know. If I knew I... Ah! What the hell could I do!? She did it! Nothin' changes that!... She's the only one who ain't dead cause a me, so I guess... Well, I didn't think she'd do that... Not that."

"Dead?" Asked Hiro.

"What do you mean dead?"

Emi gave her a flat look.

"I mean dead. D-E-D... I think. Fuck it, sorry... I can't read! Well... They say I'm cursed, cause all my kin and friends're dead. And most after're also dead... No one's touched me since... Well, maybe at the brothel..."

"Not listening to that." Said Uwayaku-Kuhn.

She sighed. "Fine. Well anyhow, no one gets near me, like I got the plague or somethin'."

Eiji sighed. "That's horrible... You're not cursed."

Emi looked away from him, her guard up.

"I dunno 'bout that, and you don't neither."

"Yes I do." He said.

"With enough training, you can sense just about any sign of a curse. My mother is an excellent sorceress, and well... She's paranoid. I have that, including knowledge on magic and most demons... Even though technically we were in heaven... And, there were no demons there."

Emi gaped. "What!? Nah, yer tellin' a tall one Eiji, no one just... Shit... Really? Then what're ya doin' here!?"

Eiji looked down. "Well originally, I came here on accident, trying to save Hiro... Then the heavens became more dangerous. Even tyrannical, you might say."

Emi looked confused.

"That another word for dangerous?"

Hiro shook her head.

"No. It's a lot like the watch... Unfair ruling or treatment by a leader to it's people."

Emi looked up.

"Damn... That bad?"

Hiro let out a gasp of pain as a metal spike shot through her broken foot. It widened at the top, and clamped down.

There was an immediate banging on the roof afterward.

Someone was trying to get in.

Eiji felt a spike shoot through his foot, causing him to fall. He managed to keep Emi off of the ground as more spikes shot up, widening, and clamping down. Some had shot through Eiji's Torso. They had not hit any vital spots, but it was definitely painful.

"What's going on!?" Hiro exclaimed.

"Eiji!? EIJI!"

He set Emi down.

"You... Crawl away... Okay...?" He said, struggling to breath through the pain.

"No." She said.

"I can still cast."

"Be careful." Said Uwayaku-Kuhn.

"You really are in no condition to be using blood magic, but under the circumstances..."

"Ya think I don't know that!?" She exclaimed.

"But I can't just do nothin'. I hafta do all I can."

There was a maniacal laughter that the whole group recognized.

Emi gave a weary groan.

"Oh fuck..."

Uwayaku-Kuhn sighed.

"I'll give you that one, just because it's what I was thinking too."

He laughed again.

"I have gained much funding from the watch with the help of my... persuasive friends."

Uwayaku-Kuhn glared at him.

"Why the heavens would need aid from a lowly poltergeist, I cannot say I know."

Eiji stopped.

"A... A poltergeist?... Is that what... He is?"

He sighed. "Yes. Who you see there isn't Kaihn. It is indeed the one who swallowed him, and stole his form."

Kaihn looked at them all with disgust.

"Yes, now shut up. Time to meet your deaths mortals... Something I've long awaited."

...

The real Kaihn was witnessing this take place from inside of his own mind...

He could see everything that was happening during the day, and at night?

...Well, that wasn't the most pleasant occurrence.

Sora stood next to him.

"What's happening this time?" She asked.

Kaihn looked forward.

"It seems he's using his new technology to kill them... I don't think he stuck with the apprenticeship idea for very long."

Sora sighed sadly.

"I knew he wouldn't. He's not actually related to anyone we are... You just happened to fool him once."

He looked back at the window.

"Well, in any case, I need to cause a diversion."

He let his mind drift, and let his voice enter the thoughts if the poltergeist, making them his own.

"I shouldn't make this too easy... That wouldn't be any fun. Let them hang for a while in their own suffering... Mock them before the end."

He smirked. "That should do it. The fool was always a fan of grandeur and lavish death speeches..."

...

Kaihn grinned maliciously.

"How does it feel to be trapped like a rat? And you boy... I'm sure the angels will be pleased when they finally get to erase you."

Hiro sobbed.

"I won't let you hurt him!"

"Don't play along with that shit!" Emi hissed.

He looked at Emi.

"I think I'll kill you first."

...

Kaihn lost his composure.

"Oh, God DAMMIT! That wasn't what I wanted!"

Sora clutched onto him as she stared out of the window.

"Hiro...That's Kuhn's daughter, right?"

Kaihn looked down.

"Yes, and now the demon is killing my trump card. Emi not being trapped allows her to use blood magic. She's a blood summoner, and can go toe to toe with the demon if she raises a good enough summon..."

He was about to strike.

Kaihn sighed.

"Dammit... I'm going to get hell for this later."

...

Kaihn was about to strike Emi, and drain her dry.

Both Hiro and Eiji screamed for her to move...

Kaihn fell to the ground, and held his head.

"What are you doing!?" He screamed.

His real voice was now mixed with the poltergeist's.

"I made the speech happen so you could summon something! Just...!"

The poltergeist was pushing back.

Emi nodded, and scraped her hand on the metal edges of the widened ground spikes.

She managed a very deep gash.

She slammed her hand to the ground.

"ChiKaKū! ANSWER ME!"

The ground shook as a giant red and black beast shot out of the ground and through the tunnel.

It was colossal.

"What!? NO!" Uwayaku-Kuhn yelled.

"That is a Behemoth, no... THE BEHEMOTH! A near apocalyptic summon! It's legendary! There's no way she can control it! Just the summon itself COULD KILL HER!"

Leviathan's filed into the tunnels and freed Hiro and Eiji, healing their wounds.

The Behemoth let out a loud roar.

"WHO HAS CAST THEIR BLOW ON EMIKA!? SHE IS MINE."

"It seems Emi has some extraordinary connections." Said Uwayaku-Kuhn.

"This one, however, is risky. It only works under the strictest of conditions, or it kills those who attempt to cast it."

"What are the conditions?" Hiro asked.

He nodded.

"Yes, very strict conditions. Even more so, because it was an independent summon, allowing the summoned creature to act on it's own will. The conditions are: a prior bond or understanding with the Behemoth, it can only be summoned once every two years at most, there has to be a low life force, or being on the brink of death, and you have to have extreme amounts of willpower. The summon itself, even after this, potentially kills the caster. Seeing as she's receiving immediate healing, this helps things. She will still be in a state of unconsciousness until we find a better healer."

Kaihn the poltergeist stood there frozen and pale.

The Behemoth picked him up by the back of his shirt with two fingers.

"DADDY!" The Leviathan's screamed.

"Look! LOOK! HE'S BACK! HUZZAH!"

"And also?" He added. "He's the father of all lower Behemoth's, and Leviathan's.

"HELLO LITTLE MAN..." He said. His voice boomed through the earth.

"I THINK I DISLIKE YOU POLTERGEIST... HERE'S THE PROCEDURE. I WILL KILL YOU, BUT FIRST? I AM GOING TO EXTRACT YOU, AND TEAR YOU TO PIECES TEN TIMES. MY HATRED FOR YOU WILL BE SATISFIED WITH YOUR SOUL!"

ChiKaKū raised his hand above Kaihn's head, and extracted the poltergeist.

Another being flew out as well.

Uwayaku-Kuhn froze.

"Sora...?"

His eyes widened.

"SORA! I'm over here!"

She floated down to him, and they embraced.

"I missed you..." She said softly.

Uwayaku-Kuhn held her.

"I would never want to exist in an eternity wandering without you..." He said.

"Aaww!" Hiro gushed.

"That is so... Just... Wow! It's the sweetest thing I've ever seen!"

Eiji shook his head and smiled.

"I guess that worked out... Good."

The citizens of Deadmarch were in meltdown, as the Behemoth sat in the middle of town.

The poltergeist had escaped with help from 'Divine' Providence.

"WELL... THAT WAS TAXING." He said.

The little people scurried around in shock and horror as ChiKaKū approached the tunnels again.

"HEY... CAN I COME WITH YOU?" He asked.

"I HAVEN'T BEEN HERE IN AGES. EVERYONE NEED'S A GOOD TRIP TO PURGATORY ONCE IN A THOUSAND YEARS OR SO... LOOSENS THE BACK AND LEGS."

Eiji sighed. "You know? I respectfully disagree with that, but yeah. You can definitely stay... Blood roads?"

Hiro laughed. "This could get interesting... ChiKaKū right?" She asked.

He nodded.

"YES, I AM CHIKAKŪ. HARBINGER OF MORTAL DESTRUCTION IN DAYS OF OLD... BEFORE THEN...? WELL CHILDREN, I WAS A GREAT BARD... WELL... I THOUGHT SO."

The people of Deadmarch stopped to stare at the Behemoth.

"So yer not gonna swallow us...?" Said a man.

"Also then, the deep 'n bad hell place ain't in yer gullet?" Said another.

"Also, 'n ye ain't gonna scrape our innards on them mountains yander?" Asked a woman.

He let out a full bellied laugh.

"I DO NOT HAVE TIME OR PATIENCE FOR SUCH TRIVIAL MATTERS! BESIDES... THE MOUNTAINS ARE GROWING YELLOW ROSES THIS YEAR. YELLOW IS MY FAVORITE COLOR! I WOULD NOT RUIN SUCH A DECADENT DISPLAY..."

They all turned to glare at the watch.

"Ya all lied ta us!" The woman yelled.

"Even Kenji 'n Kenta had weary eye's on yer claims! 'N they're right!"

"Keepin' us under yer thumb ya did!" Yelled a man.

"YEA!" They cheered.

"Them watcher's be full a piss they be! Thinkin' they'cn steal're homes 'n livin'!? Whata load, that'un is!"

"RIGHT!" They yelled.

"LET'S GET'EM!"

The whole town, and even most of the nobles stood and fought against the watch. It wasn't hard... Considering all ChiKaKū had to do was step on them.

He yawned.

"I LOVE BATTLES... I NEED A NAP. DOES ANYONE HAVE DIRECTIONS TO A MEADOW...? OR MEANS TO BUILD A GIANT COT...?"

"I'm afraid we need to heal Emi's sister, and evacuate everyone."

Said Uwayaku-Kuhn.

"There is a great danger coming, of the likes even you couldn't contain."

Eiji gaped. "That bad!? What's going on!?"

ChiKaKū looked over the horizon.

"SO THERE IS..." He said.

He looked down at the citizens of Deadmarch.

"YOU MAY WANT TO RUN... THAT DIRECTION."

He pointed away from the coming danger.

The whole town packed their things, and began fleeing to a new area.

The Leviathan's were helping Hiro, Emi, and Eiji out of the tunnels.

"Which house is Freya in!?" Hiro exclaimed.

"I don't know!" Said Eiji.

"Emi's out, so we can't ask her."

Sora nodded. "Hold on..."

She seemed to scope the entire town, and stopped at a small brick building.

They all ran to the area.

Fred was carrying Emi. He seemed stressed, and saddened by the recent events.

"Wake up Emi..." He whispered.

She heard his thoughts, but could not wake up.

 _Sorry Fred... I can't. I'm really out, and I ain't goin' to be wakin' up soon... Sorry._

 _(It's alright... The others are going to heal Freya now. No need to worry...)_

 _That's a relief... I was so damn worried. I hope she's doin' okay..._

Fred carried her to the building. He swallowed the souls of the wandering watch, and gained strength.

ChiKaKū looked down at Fred.

"I SEE THAT YOUR CHOSEN HAS ARRIVED... EMIKA IS A GOOD CHOICE. A GENTLE, AND MISUNDERSTOOD SOUL... MUCH LIKE MYSELF. TREAT HER WELL."

Fred nodded. "Of course."

They entered the room where Freya was.

She was black, and her skin looked nearly gone in the face... Her body was falling apart, and she was fading.

Hiro grabbed the syringe with the antidote from her pack.

"That's powerful alchemy..." Said Sora.

Hiro nodded, injecting the antidote into her heart.

"You can thank Shisuta for that... She's a genius."

Freya's features began to restore, and her wounds had healed...

She still looked very sick, but there was no mistaking that face...

That woman looked just like Lilith.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3: Master of Diversion, Glimmer of a Dream

Kaihn had slipped away in the commotion when the town's people were in a state of havoc.

He was alive and well, yet he couldn't bring himself to face the others.

He refused.

After all of the pain the poltergeist had caused in his form, he felt it was hopeless to face his family now... There was no hope for his salvation, and no peace waiting for his soul.

Of this he was certain.

He walked away from Deadmarch, and back toward the warrior's, but he would instead make a left before the turn off.

He continued to move forward, when he saw...

It was like death's doors were spreading in all directions, changing everything in it's path.

It left only dark space behind.

Erasal.

The Giant, Boh, and another female giant were running with a whole group of people.

"Why is it speeding up again!?" She exclaimed.

"I don't know!" He replied. "But this time we run... FAR."

He saw Kaihn as they ran.

Boh picked him up, and held him with a crushing grip as they ran.

"I'm going to throw you in there." He said.

"Wait!" Kaihn exclaimed.

"There's a LOT to explain here! I was possessed by a poltergeist!"

Boh laughed bitterly.

"You're so full of shit."

"Who is this guy?" The woman asked.

"Onna, this is Kaihn. He's a murderous asshole... Now that we've all met..."

Boh prepared to throw him.

"No, wait! I'M SERIOUS! There's a Behemoth up ahead in Deadmarch! He's the one who freed me! HE'LL TELL YOU!"

"You'd better not be lying." Said Boh, tightening his grip.

"I will crush you if you are..."

Kaihn gulped.

"F-Fair enough..."

...

The portal had sucked us all in...

We were floating for a while, and completely unconscious of our bodies.

Chihiro and I had been taken together, and the group had separated... That's all I know.

I was desperately trying to wake up.

 _Wake up..._

 _Something's happened Haku, and you need to wake up._

 _(Sleep... Rest until it's ready.)_

 _No... I need to wake up now! Chihiro could be in incredible danger, and I'm just sleeping..._

 _(Danger...? No... Why would I hurt you? I just want to meet all of my guests...)_

 _Who are you...?_

I felt a bright light hit my eyes, as a world of sorts became more clear.

I looked over at Chihiro, who was still sleeping on the ground.

The grass was soft, and the area around them was like a paradise, lavished with flowers and life...

I shook her.

"Chihiro! Chihiro! Wake up! Come on... You need to wake up."

Her eyes fluttered, and she looked at me.

"H-Haku... What happened...?" She whispered.

"I don't know..." I said.

"How are you feeling? Are you hurt?"

"N...No." She said softly.

"Just waking up."

She sat, and looked around.

"Where are we? This place is..."

"It seems nice." I said.

"But I don't know yet..."

She sighed. "I can't tell either way, but I don't sense any bad intent."

I relaxed slightly.

I trusted Chihiro with all of my being... If she says there's no one threatening us, then there isn't. I suppose it must be more of a search than a battle.

I nodded. "Alright then, shall we take a look around?"

She nodded, and we stood.

We walked into a clearing, and found an interesting artifact.

It was the stone cottage that Chihiro and I had made our home.

"No way..." She gaped.

"What's this doing here?"

I sighed. "I'm getting a big dreamscape vibe from this... I think this place knows our past, and things we cherish. We may want to be careful where we wander..."

Chihiro stared at me.

"I didn't get that vibe..."

She held her head.

"Haku, what's going on!? Why can't I sense anything!?"

She was clearly distraught, and scared.

I tried to activate the spell that calmed her... Nothing.

My eyes widened.

"What!? I can't use my river magic!"

Chihiro stopped.

"You can't? Hold on..."

Her mind seemed to calm.

"I think I know what happened... We switched abilities, and magic. Now you have my intuition, and I have your river magic."

I looked at my hands.

"How strange..."

We walked up to the cottage.

There was a nice stream running next to it, and Chihiro stepped on it...

The water bunched at her feet...

I then realized we were wearing no shoes.

She tried to shake the water off, but it seemed to cling to her like a magnet.

Oh... That happened to me when I first became physical in purgatory.

"It sticks!" She exclaimed.

"I can't walk inside like this!"

I sighed. "Just stand on the ground, your feet shoulder width away."

She did, and she was standing on bubbles of water...

She soon lost her balance, and fell down.

"I can't stand up right..." She said nervously.

I helped her stand.

"Are you okay?" I asked.

She nodded. "I think I'll be alright..."

I nodded. "Good... Now imagine the water sinking into the earth, and step away when you feel your feet touch the ground."

It took some focus on her end, but she seemed to manage just fine.

I smiled. "The same thing happened to me my first time in purgatory..."

She laughed. "Really!? What did you do?"

I felt myself grow warm... I love her laugh.

"Well, I had to learn to walk on water bubbles for about a week... Then I figured it out."

She shook her head.

"I couldn't have walked... I would have tumbled a lot though."

I laughed. "I could see that!"

We both looked at the cottage.

"Should we go in?" Chihiro asked.

I shrugged. "I don't see why not... I am curious to see what our dreamer has done with the place."

We walked inside.

It looked exactly how it did when we left it...

I looked around.

"Hmm... It looks... Normal."

Chihiro walked over to the kitchen area, and held the cast iron pan.

"It's not rusted... It was before."

I sighed. "I don't think that I see any flaws, now that I think about it. No crack in that wall..."

I walked over to our bed.

"The chip on the headboard is also gone."

Chihiro shook her head.

"This is just too weird."

"Yes, it is very strange..." I agreed.

Something touched my mind... Like a warning to take our time.

"Chihiro, I think we should stay here for today, and venture out tomorrow morning... I have a feeling we need to conserve our strength before we leave."

She nodded. "Alright. You're the one with my intuition right now..."

I smiled. "Well, while we're here, I'll make some lunch."

She smiled warmly. "So what are you making?"

I shrugged. "I don't know yet, let's see what we have..."

I looked in the food storage, and I was shocked.

"Um... Yeah, anything you want, I can make... Wow."

Chihiro walked over to where I was, and gaped.

"That's way more than we even need!"

I shrugged. "Well, we're only staying here for today, so does it matter?"

She smiled. "I guess not."

I pulled out four small pork chops, butter, white wine, a small amount of salt and pepper, rosemary, and two cloves of garlic, which I minced.

I was making modenese pork chops.

This was a recipe I had learned from watching the cooks at the bathhouse... It was my best meal.

When I had finished cooking the pork chops in the butter, I added in the white wine, minced garlic, and other spices, allowing it to simmer.

Chihiro sniffed the air.

"That smells fantastic... What are you making?"

I grinned. "I guarantee you it will taste even better... And this? Well, it's a surprise."

She rolled her eyes and laughed.

"Having fun Haku?"

I laughed. "Maybe a little..."

I made a nice salad as a side, and served us each two of the pork chops.

We sat down at the table, and ate.

She took a bite, and seemed to melt in her chair.

We both savored the dish...

I smiled to myself. This was pretty delicious.

"Oh wow... Haku, you really out did yourself. This is amazing..." Said Chihiro. Her tone was pleasant, and light.

I smiled, and felt myself blushing.

"Well, I figured we should make the best of this while we still can..."

She grinned. "There are lot's of ways to make the best of our time."

I felt myself grow hot.

 _mmm... Lot's of ways..._

 _(Eiji... Something's happening with Eiji...)_

 _What...?_

A vision crossed my mind, and I saw Eiji, Hiro, and that girl moving a body... Was that Lilith!?

...No, it was Freya. She looked like Lilith...

Then... Kaihn was running toward them.

No! Not him!

...Wait. It wasn't Kaihn... No, it was Kaihn. A Kaihn I had never met.

He ran to them from...

What in the world was THAT!?

A wall of death was threatening to consume them.

I realized then...

We had created this wall upon opening the portal.

It was moving fast, and...

Holy hell... A BEHEMOTH!

THE BEHEMOTH!

How did ChiKaKū get mixed up in this!?

He grabbed the children, both giants, Kaihn, the Leviathan's, and the crowd of people.

He swooped them up in one armful, and made great leaps forward.

Chihiro stood with me in the vision.

"They can't run forever!" She exclaimed.

She must have accidentally slipped into my vision using a mind tap. It takes physical contact from the hands to the head... It can get hard to control unless you're familiar with river magic.

I sighed. "What can we do? Is there anything?"

She looked at it.

"It needs to slow down..."

The wall made a quick movement forward...

Eiji's eyes went wide with fear.

"NO! STOP! STOOOPP!" She screamed.

She held her head in her hands, her eyes closed shut.

She was shaking...

The wall had stopped, and I saw the vision fade.

They were okay...

Chihiro's hand was still connected to me.

She began shaking violently as my memories flowed into her.

I couldn't just stop her, or remove her hand... That could hurt her, because of her lack of control in this.

She pulled her hand back, and fell to the floor.

I knelt down next to her, and grabbed her shoulders.

"Chihiro? Are you alright!? Chihiro!?"

She sobbed, and leaned into me...

What did she see?

She continued to cry as I held her.

"What did you see love...?" I asked softly.

"Please tell me..."

She curled up into me.

"I... I saw what they did to you... At the bathhouse... Haku... I know you told me, but I had no idea."

So that was what she saw...

I would have never wanted her to experience that.

The training was even harder back then, and the work load was easy after that, but morally excruciating...

I felt I had lost my soul to my demons, until Chihiro had helped me remember my name.

Kohaku river...

That is my name. I still use Haku, because it's familiar now.

Still, I will never forget...

I leaned in, and gave her a soft kiss.

"None of that matters now..."

I put her hand on my head, and showed her the rest.

A warm smile crossed her lips...

She opened her eyes.

"Eiji's safe." I said.

"You don't have to worry now, the wall has stopped, and will move considerably slower."

I also knew now that we were timed.

We had to find this seed before the wall of destruction spread, and destroyed everything...

Today however, we needed rest and energy.

I wasn't going to worry Chihiro with that detail yet... I would bring it up tomorrow.

She gave a sigh of relief...

A tear slipped down her cheek.

"Thank goodness..." She whispered.

I pressed soft kisses on her head...

Then her lips.

"I love you..." I said, continuously kissing her.

I really needed her.

We had been so incredibly stressed and busy lately, there was hardly time to eat.

We usually spent what time we had sleeping...

I need her...

I want her...

God... I REALLY want her.

My lips trailed to her neck, kissing and biting with a furious passion... It was like a fire in my chest.

My lips.

I carried her to our bed, and slipped off her dress.

I held her arms to the bed, pressing lingering bites and kisses on her jawline and neck...

She gave a soft and pleasured moan as I trailed my lips down her chest and torso.

She grabbed my arms and flipped me over, tearing my shirt off.

I felt pleasure course through each place her skin touched me... Especially her lips.

I felt myself let out a long and low moan as her lips moved down my torso...

Jolting slightly at each soft bite...

My eyes rolled back as she moved lower...

I grabbed her, and held her against the headboard.

Our bodies were pressed against each other, each touch sending tremors down mine...

She let out longer moans as bliss and ecstasy filled our minds and bodies...

Her lips brushed against my neck, and I still felt sensitive, moaning softly.

"You picked up on that one fast..." I breathed.

She curled into me.

"I think that's because you did it to me once... It was more familiar."

I looked into her eyes...

God... It was like they were shimmering.

The light hazel seemed to have an entrancing golden quality...

I felt a warm smile cross my lips... Like our hearts were completely connected.

...Because they were.

She was projecting her emotions on me with her eyes...

I think there's definitely some truth to what she said. Every spell I had used on her, she was able to use with ease.

In fact? It seemed first nature.

That could be dangerous.

If magic was like breathing, then you couldn't hold your breath forever. There were certain spells she wouldn't be able to control well because of this.

I sighed. "Chihiro... You need to be careful okay? The river magic you've picked up on may be hard to control. I don't want you hurting yourself... If you use too much at such a constant rate, it will exhaust you."

Her eyes became nervous... Making me nervous.

"I... I'll try." She said.

I focused, and I was able to snap myself out of the spell.

"Chihiro, you need to calm down." I said.

"You're using my projection and entrancing spell... Just breathe..."

I wrapped her in my arms, letting my hand stroke her back.

"Breathe..."

She seemed to calm down, and curl up into me.

"I am really scared right now..." She whispered.

"I feel so lost... I never imagined how it would feel to have everything your sure of change completely... Not like this."

She cuddled into me further.

"Well... Not everything I'm sure of..."

I felt a warmth spread across my chest, and in my very soul.

I pressed a kiss on the top of her head.

"I really love you Chihiro..." I said softly.

"I love you..." She whispered back.

We rested for a while, just holding each other...

I felt a pang of worry.

 _I really hope that Eiji is okay..._

 _This journey could really hurt him. The last thing I want is for him to feel like he's lost himself to his demons..._

 _Eiji... You are precious to Chihiro, and you are very precious to me._

 _I promise..._

 _I will be watching for you._


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4: The Goliathan's, Unrequited Love

ChiKaKū was carrying the group, making sure they were as far away from the wall as possible.

"THAT IS A DARK OMEN." He said, his voice booming as his massive legs stomped across the land.

"IN MY TIME... SUCH MATTER WAS LOCKED AWAY, NEVER TO BE TOUCHED. I PITY THE MORTALS WHO OPENED THAT GATE..."

Eiji looked down.

He swore he heard his mother's voice before the wall stopped.

No one else had heard anything, but he was sure that he heard her clear as day...

He was convinced it was her magic that stopped the wall...

Where was she then?

"Um, what would have happened to the people who opened it?" Eiji asked.

ChiKaKū sighed, his breath like a gust of wind.

"THAT IS ANCIENT KNOWLEDGE... THOSE WHO HAVE TRAVELED INTO THE LAND OF THE ONE, ARE SWALLOWED, NEVER TO RETURN HOME... THEY ARE FOREVER CHANGED, AND BREATHE THE MATTER LIKE LIFE, WHICH KILLS THEM... BEINGS WHO HAVE GAINED SUCH ASPECTS OF NONEXISTENCE, CANNOT EXIST IN ANY OTHER WORLD... THOUGH NO ONE HAS OPENED A PORTAL BEFORE. THAT IS... DISCONCERTING."

Eiji froze.

He knew then that they had to have been the ones who opened the portal.

His mom, his dad, Kahn, Kuhn, Linn, Karo, Shisuta, Haruka, Junichi, and Loki...

All of them... Just gone.

Swallowed into a world where he could never see them again.

A world that would kill them.

"What's the matter?" Hiro asked.

"Are you okay? You look really shaken up... It's alright, everyone's safe now."

Not all of them were gone... He still had Hiro.

He couldn't tell her yet... He couldn't bring himself to say it.

He knew this would devastate her, and he didn't want to hurt her...

He didn't have to.

"I HEARD THE VOICE YOU SPOKE OF, BOY..." Said ChiKaKū, his voice ringing through the air in Eiji's head.

"THAT'S SOME HEARING YOU HAVE... THERE WERE NINE OTHERS I SENSED AS THE VOICE ECHOED IN MY EARS... ALL IN SEPARATE REALMS OF THE ONE."

Hiro froze, and Eiji could see the pain in her eyes.

"What are there names..." She said monotone.

Mei gave a heavy sigh.

"No... This is bad."

ChiKaKū began.

"CHIHIRO OGINO, HAKU OGINO, KARO MIYUKI, SHISUTA YUMI, HARUKA MIYUKI, JUNICHI KURO, LOKI TOFT, LINN USAGI, KUHN USAGI, AND KAHN USAGI. THE REALM GROUPS ARE CHIHIRO AND HAKU AS A FIRST. LINN IS A PART OF THIS GROUP, BUT HASN'T SEEMED TO HAVE AWOKEN YET. KUHN, AND KARO AS A SECOND. LOKI AND JUNICHI AS A THIRD. SHISUTA IS ALONE. KAHN IS ALONE. HARUKA IS ALSO ALONE."

Hiro was silent.

It's all she could do not to burst into tears in front of everyone.

Eiji's face was solemn...

He really wished that Hiro didn't have to hear that.

She would have found out anyway, but it was still horrible.

His mom and dad were together, but everyone else seemed separated.

Everyone else, including Hiro's parents, were separated from their loved ones...

He could hear Sora crying softly.

"I know..." Said Uwayaku-Kuhn Softly.

"It's not easy on anyone... We still have Hiro to worry about."

Kaihn's expression was extremely grave... Almost blank, but you could see sorrow there.

It wasn't a usual look for that face as of late.

He stayed silent.

The sun was setting in the sky, and Emi was still unconscious.

Eiji sighed. "Is there anywhere we can find a healer for Emi?"

ChiKaKū nodded.

"YES. THERE IS A PLACE NEARBY THAT HOLDS THE HEALER YOU REQUIRE... THE GROVE OF GOLIATH, IT'S CALLED. I BELIEVE IT IS FAR ENOUGH AWAY TO SATISFY THE DISTANCE FROM THE VOIDED WALL..."

"That sounds familiar..." Said Uwayaku-Kuhn.

"I think we've been there, haven't we?" Sora asked.

"I think so." He said.

"But I can't place a memory to which place it was..."

Eiji nodded. "Can you please take us there ChiKaKū?"

He laughed. "SUCH MANNERS FROM SO YOUNG A LAD! THAT IS QUITE REFRESHING IN TIMES LIKE THESE... YES. I WILL TAKE YOU TO THE GROVE OF GOLIATH, AND THEN OUR JOURNEY BEGINS ON THE BLOOD ROADS OF OLD. I REMEMBER IN MY DAY, WHEN THEY WERE NOT ROADS, BUT A REGION... YES, GRAND DAYS THOSE... I'M AFRAID ALL BUT MAX AND FRED WILL HAVE TO VENTURE FROM THE WALL ON THEIR OWN... THE BLOOD ROADS ONLY ALLOW BLOOD MAGES, AND THEIR FAMILIARS, IF ANY, TO WANDER IN."

Mei nodded.

"Understood. We'll be fine, we have the Leviathan's on our side, and some good people and warrior's... We'll rebuild, and make it ten times more grand..."

The Leviathan's perked up.

"No! ONE HUNDRED TIMES!" Yelled Talin.

"A THOUSAND TIMES!" Yelled Winston.

"TEN TTHHOUUUSSSAND TIMES!" Talin preach screamed.

"HUZZAH!" They cheered in agreement.

Satoshi Hajime, the business man from the warrior's, gave a sad sigh...

"Damn... Now the Leviathan's are so eager to pitch in. I sure wish Kuhn and Linn could see this..."

Hiro burst into tears.

Everyone looked at her.

Eiji wrapped his arms around her, to comfort her.

Also to shield her from the stares. He knew how it felt to be suffocated by oceans of crowds...

This had to be suffocating.

"Oh god! I'm sorry Hiro..." Said Satoshi.

"Now I feel like an ass."

Mei sighed. "You didn't mean it..."

She looked at Hiro.

"They'll figure it out..." She said.

"They always do."

Hiro looked up at her.

"Thanks Mei, but I don't know how..."

She smiled.

"Honestly? I have no clue how you all made it back the last time you traveled into some horrible 'No Escape' realm... But you did, right? Have faith in them... They will make it back."

Hiro cried again.

"Th-Thanks! No really... You are so kind..."

She leaned into Eiji, and hid from their eyes again.

He held her close, and stroked her hair.

"It's going to be okay... Mei's right." He whispered softly.

"When this is over, we'll all go home, and be a family again..."

He continued to comfort her, tears streaming down his own face.

He knew that home was gone, and that they might never return...

If all of them were to fail, he knew that eventually both him and Hiro would also die.

This wall was spreading... Slowly, but surely spreading.

Eiji was really scared.

He had tried to be strong, act confident, and protect Hiro...

He was absolutely terrified...

Then, something his father had told him years ago came to mind.

 _"Remember, just because you're scared, doesn't mean you can't be brave. Standing up and facing those fears. That's what makes you brave."_

Eiji felt himself beginning to cry as he remembered his father's words.

He was scared...

He was broken...

He felt almost completely alone.

He had Hiro, and now Emi...

He would protect them both with his very life, even if he was scared.

Hiro... She felt just as alone, he was sure.

Just as broken...

Just as scared...

He pulled her in closer, and she felt his tears.

"Eiji..." She whispered.

"Thank you..."

She wrapped her arms around him.

"Even if it's not true... Thank you. Thank you for being alive."

They both held each other, and the sky grew dark...

The steady rock of ChiKaKū's steps, lulling them into sleep.

...

They all were woken up by ChiKaKū setting them down in the middle of a town.

He really had no tact whatsoever, did he?

Mei was already awake, and holding the hand of a sleepy Navin.

"Is that your kid?" Satoshi asked.

Mei smiled. "Yep, this is Navin... He's eleven, and should be turning twelve in about four months."

He nodded sleepily.

"Hey Satoshi... Weren't you the...? Dunno... Sleepy..."

He literally curled up on the ground, and fell asleep.

Mei nudged him with her foot.

"Navin, you need to wake up..."

He waved her off.

"Ten more minutes mom... Then I'll... Take out the trash."

She laughed and shook her head.

"Boys... They really do need their sleep."

The towns people were staring at them, mouths agape.

"Good GOLIATH! LOOK AT THAT!" Yelled a man

"It might be the great Goliath, for all we know!" A woman exclaimed.

ChiKaKū pointed to a girl and an older man in the crowd.

"SHE IS THE HEALER YOU SEEK."

They all gasped, and broke into whispering.

"It must be him!" A woman hissed.

"That voice!" Said a man.

"She is a chosen? What an honor!"

"Angels of Goliath, or those on a holy mission I'm sure!"

Uwayaku-Kuhn sighed.

"Oh yeah... This town. Not this again..."

Sora laughed. "And that woman was so offended when I brought up my trade in alchemy... They're so extremely religious! She said, 'Medicine is a sin! We only use the holy word of Goliath, and those who are bless'ed as healers of his greatness!' Do you think they'd fade from shock if they discovered how convoluted they are?"

"You got into far too many religious debates with them." He said.

"They were throwing us out of the town, and we hadn't even completed our shipment... Then you tried to preach blood magic, and they practically tried stoning us with those ten pound scriptures of theirs!"

Sora continued to laugh.

"Good times!"

Hiro and Eiji looked at each other.

Oh no... Things always got out of hand with these kind.

The girl stepped forward.

"Um... Do you require my assistance?" She asked.

She looked about a year older than Hiro, and a half a year older than Eiji.

Eiji was almost fourteen.

She had a fairly plain look about her.

A plain, and overly modest dress, plain flat brown hair, seemingly dull brown eyes, and a long face.

Hiro nodded. "You're the healer? Yes, we have a friend who's been injured from summoning ChiKaKū here, and-"

She bit her tongue, but it was too late.

"Oh no..." Said Uwayaku-Kuhn.

"This could get interesting.'

The girl smiled. "That makes sense, I figured it wasn't Goliath... But don't tell them that."

Her face became serious.

"Since you were honest, I have no reason to suspect that there is any foul play at hand... Good. Come with me, and I'll heal your friend."

An older man walked up to them.

"This IS getting interesting!" Said Sora gleefully.

"I think I like her!"

The man hugged the girl.

"Nori, my daughter! I am so proud of you! Your virtues got you here, no doubt!"

ChiKaKū laughed. "THE POWER OF BLOOD IS QUITE A VIRTUE... OF A SORT. I GUESS..."

Nori froze, and her face became pale.

"A blood mage, that makes sense." Said Uwayaku-Kuhn.

"Oh no... The poor dear has been outed!" Sora exclaimed.

Her father stared at her.

He smiled. "Yes, we come from a strong bloodline of worshippers, great Goliath... My Nori will be of great service to your cause, isn't that right?" He said.

The girl nodded.

"Yes father."

She was visibly shaking.

You could tell she was afraid of what 'Goliath' would say next.

He simply laughed, then remained silent.

She seemed to relax some, but she had a constant tenseness to her anyway.

"F-Follow me..." She said softly.

Hiro and Eiji followed, bringing Emi. Fred was carrying Freya.

It was pretty clear that he had imprinted on Emi, and was helping Freya because Emi would want it...

Or maybe she told him to.

Thoughts were a form of communication between a Leviathan and the one he imprints on.

 _I hope she's okay..._

 _I hope mom and dad are okay..._

 _Mom... She's still pregnant with my sisters._

 _Dammit..._

 _DAMMIT! WHY!?_

 _Now I'll never get to meet them!_

 _I wish I hadn't left!_

 _(Are you sure about that? It hurts me to see you in so much pain... Hiro... I wish I could take it all away... There are no blood syphoner's in the seed world. You would have picked up a most horrible poltergeist. That would be horrible... If you were swallowed, I would then let myself be swallowed, and protect you. Even if just in your own mind...)_

Her eyes filled with tears.

 _I know you would. I love you Max... You are the most wonderful guardian and friend I could have ever hoped for. I wouldn't accept anyone else._

He blushed.

 _(Well, the signature you gave me allows me to sense when you're in danger... Talin has a similar sense for Eiji, but it is not for imprinting purposes. Being the technical leader of the Leviathan group, he has an immediate connection to Master Eiji... Imprinted connections are a little more... Intimate.)_

 _That makes sense. There's definitely a difference between leadership connections, and imprinted ones..._

 _(Very true... I will always keep you safe. No matter what, Hiro...)_

 _I know... We've been best friends since I was ten... And you are so amazing._

 _(It's funny... Did you know we have the same birthday? Leviathan's are originally an ageless being, but take on the age of their imprints.)_

 _Wow... I had no idea! I guess that's good, because friends can relate better when they're close in age._

They approached a small wooden cabin.

They were supposedly headed to the healer's quarters, but instead Nori took a different route when out of sight.

Max thought to himself, and kept it from Hiro.

 _If only you could understand..._

 _I know how crazy this seems... You have always looked at me like a friend and guardian._

 _A dog of sorts, and a pet._

 _...Don't you see how much this hurts? I know if you understood, then you wouldn't see me as a dog, but an equal._

 _Leviathan's have claws._

 _Leviathan's have sharp teeth._

 _Leviathan's have hard hands, and rigid features._

 _You have beautiful delicate hands..._

 _A smile that makes the sun shine brighter..._

 _And you are an angel in form and deed..._

 _If only you had seen me when I was fully restored._

 _Before the heavens scorned our names, and stripped us of our power and being._

 _Stuck in this beastly form, yet I remember a time when my spirit was pure light..._

 _...You would have loved it Hiro._

 _I wonder what I'll look like when I'm restored again..._

 _No... I'll never be restored. I'll never find enough souls to restore myself, and even so..._

 _It's not like she'll ever look at me the way she looks at him._

 _She'll never run into my arms like I want her to, and I'll never be able to hold her like I want to._

 _I do not hate Eiji._

 _I actually care for Eiji a lot..._

 _If we had met in a different place and time, I know she would have loved me._

 _If she would just love me, I would make her so happy..._

 _I would treat her like a princess... She is a princess. An angel. A goddess..._

 _The forbidden fruit is all the sweeter..._

 _I do not believe in these words._

 _She is in love with Eiji..._

 _She will never love me..._

 _Not the way she loves him._


	5. Chapter 5

****Hello readers! I have a song about how max feels about Hiro. It fits pretty well.**

 **It's called 'Losing My Mind' by Daughtry.**

 **Here's the link:**

youtube **-**. **-** com/?#/watch?v=FnJNHOU7F68

 **And just in case you don't remember, you erase the bolded and underlined dashes next to the dot on 'com'.**

 **Also the last number of the link is '8'.**

 **Sometimes when you erase the second dash, it messes up and erases the last letter or number... It can be annoying, so that's why I also give the title of the song and author for all who are interested.**

 **Now that that's all cleared up...**

 **Enjoy Chapter 5! :)****

Chapter 5: Undefined Maid, A Disappointing Legend

Hiro and Eiji were all in the off road cabin, watching as Nori healed Emi.

She drew a little bit of her blood, then drew some in Emi's hand.

She let her own blood drip into Emi's wound.

That explained why she washed her hands like, ten times before she began.

Her body began to glow, and we all saw as Emi's body glowed, and became more awake.

She sat up.

"What the!? I'm awake!?"

She gave herself a victory fist pump.

"Hell yea! I lived! Hey guys, check it out, I'm livin'! Yes! I'm not dyin' today maker, so ya can kiss my ass!"

Eiji and Hiro stifled a laugh.

Nori sighed.

"You are so lucky that we're not in town... Just try to be... Well... More tactful when we go back to the Grove of Goliath."

Emi scratched her head.

"Um... So... Where's that? Is that where the healer is?"

Nori's eye twitched slightly.

"I am the healer. I just healed you..."

She seemed to forcibly calm her expression.

"How do you feel?" She asked.

Emi smiled. "Well? Better than ever! Thanks gal! That's some castin' to pull me out a that one!"

She looked confused.

Emi beamed. "Say, yer a blood mage, right? Guys! She should come with us, we need one a them medics... It's pretty damn important."

She seemed to blush... But only for a moment.

"Well... I have responsibilities to attend to at home. I apologize if this sounds rude, but I can't just meander off on adventures when my trade feeds my family. I am sorry..."

Hiro felt some concern.

She had a dad, didn't she? Didn't he help provide for the family, even if she did some?

"Oh, and also there are house chores to be done, and well... My sisters can't support themselves. There are many, many things that keep me here... I really am sorry."

Hiro shook her head.

"Don't be sorry, and don't apologize so much. Really, you don't need to. I'm sorry you can't come with us..."

Emi fumed. "What!? No way! Look, it sounds to me like her family works'er like a maid! I've seen'em like that! Strong armed into doin' all them things, and end up feelin' like they done nothin'."

Emi looked at her.

"Look here, I've handled this kinda thing before. Let me help you..."

She looked away bitterly.

"And let my sisters take the brunt of that? Just drop everything, and leave? Well, no. And I'm sorry, but I can't abandon my family on a whim."

Emi sighed. "Are ya really sorry? 'Cause it sounds to me like ya don't mean it."

She looked down angrily.

"Take it any way you please... My obligations to you end here."

She walked out.

Eiji sighed. "I don't see what we can do if she doesn't want to be helped... Let's just go-"

"No!" Emi exclaimed. "We're stayin' here! She needs our help, it don't matter if she don't want it! They never wanna get help until they been helped... That's just how it go's."

"Actually? I agree with Emi on this one." Said Sora.

"A lot of girls like her have so much potential, and it all gets waisted on their 'obligations'. This could be society, or family... Seems she has a fair dose of both."

Emi gestured to Sora.

"See!? She knows! She knows I'm not tellin'! It ain't lies, and they need help. She can't just have these cool castin' spells and stay at home her whole life! 'Sides the point that she's a medic, that just ain't right."

Hiro sighed. "Alright, we'll stay... But we can't wait too long."

Emi smiled. "Thanks! I'll get her to see, I promise."

Emi walked out.

Eiji and Hiro followed her.

"Wait!" Eiji exclaimed. "Do you even know where you're going!?"

She laughed. "Nope! I figure I'd find a sign, and it'd say, 'Grove of Goliath'... Or some jazz."

Hiro slapped her palm to her face.

"Not if you go that direction... Yeah, that path you were heading on? That's the wrong one."

Emi shrugged. "Thanks for the warnin' guys... I'll go this way then."

Eiji shook his head.

"I swear, sometimes it's like babysitting an ADHD puppy."

Hiro laughed. "Yeah sometimes... Emi's alright though."

...

Emi walked back to a place...

She wasn't sure which place, but by god, it was a place!

She laughed.

"Damn... Even if there was a sign... I can't read!"

She looked over, and saw...

Was that Kaihn!?

She was ready to pull out her daggers...

Then she remembered the person that... Came out of him?

Emi wasn't sure...

She walked up to him.

He was surrounded by children, and they were playing a game of some sort.

"Um... So... Are ya the good one?" She asked him.

He turned to her.

He seemed to become extremely bashful.

"Y-Yes... I... I am the... Good one."

"Who's she?" The children asked him.

"Don't you wanna keep playing with us?"

He shifted uncomfortably.

"Just a moment..."

He looked at Emi... Then he looked down.

"You don't have to talk to me..." He said.

She waved her hand.

"Nah, it's cool... Ya saved our hides back there! Last second, sure... But still!"

He shook his head.

"She's kind of weird..." Said a boy.

Emi fumed.

"EY! Who're ya callin' weird!? Ya little snot bandits!"

They giggled and laughed amongst themselves.

"She's funny! Kaihn, do you think she should play with us?"

She gave an annoyed groan.

"I ain't got time for this! I need to find... Um... Whats'er name...? Damn, I don't remember..."

A little girl gaped at her.

"You SWORE!"

Emi blinked. "I... I did? Damn... I been tryin' to work on that."

"She did it again!" Said a boy.

"Does she know she did!?" Said another girl.

Kaihn sighed. "You know... You should probably watch your language around children... Um... I'm watching them for their mother's, because they needed to go shopping... I think. Oh well, the children seem to enjoy it."

"Play with us!" They groaned.

"Pleeeaase?"

Kaihn shook his head and smiled.

"Alright then..."

He grinned.

"This time? I'll be the dragon."

Emi took a seat under a tall oak tree.

Kaihn was chasing the squealing children around, pretending to be scary.

She smiled to her self.

"I never thought I'd see the day when he 'pretends' to be scary... For kids at that! Damn... Looks like he ain't a bad guy, minus demons... I guess."

She looked over, and saw that girl sitting under a tree across from her.

She was looking at Kaihn and the children.

She was smiling.

She was more relaxed, and there were bits of light hitting her eyes.

Emi smiled.

"She's a LOT prettier when she smiles like that..."

Emi walked over to her, and sat down.

The girl sighed.

"What do you want?"

She seemed to catch herself.

"Oh! Um... I mean... Hello..."

Emi shook her head.

"Ya don't need to do that. It ain't hurtin' my feelin's if ya don't like me..."

She looked down.

"It isn't that I don't like you... You seem very kind. Just... Stay out of my business, is that clear? You will only end up feeling bad... You don't need to. You don't need that. I can handle it."

Emi shrugged. "I ain't seein' what it is yer protectin' me from... I've lived in the slums, been abused and beaten, shunned, 'n even stabbed in the back, sometimes literally... More times'en I can count... Well, if I could count well. Um... Anyhow, there's nothin' bad I ain't seen. Spout."

She looked at her.

"You can't... Count. Can you read...?"

Emi shook her head.

"Nope! Not a lick."

She held out her hand.

"Well, I'm Nori... I can help you read. In fact, now I really want to help you read. There's no excuse for a poor education around me..."

Eiji and Hiro ran up to her.

"Wait!" They exclaimed.

"Can you help treat her too?"

They were holding Freya.

Emi gaped.

"Yeah... Um. Please help her... If anybody? She deserves it the most."

Nori nodded.

"Of course..."

They all walked back to the cabin.

Freya was laid out on the bed that Emi was on.

She did the blood healing, like she did with Emi...

Her features seemed healthier as her eyes fluttered open.

She sat up.

"Where am I...?" She asked softly.

Emi hugged her.

"We're outta Deadmarch march now! I dunno if Niku's been dealt with're not... But, lot's a stuff's happened since you got sick!"

She smiled.

"Thank you Emi... You protected me when you didn't have to. You have made an excellent shield sister."

Emi blushed.

"Shy off, Freya! I just wanna help ya cause I care... It ain't nothin' special."

Nori gaped.

"You're Freya!? I have heard... Well... So much about you!"

She seemed to become self conscious.

"Um... Well, it's nice to meet a living legend."

She laughed. "It's not that big... I've been around for a while."

Hiro nodded.

"Yeah... We know. Do you happen to know of a demon named Lilith?"

She froze.

Her face became hardened.

"Lilith is no demon, though she, and most others have been lead to believe this. Where is she? She's my sister, and I've been looking for her."

Hiro stopped.

She had been the one who killed Lilith.

She didn't know what to say.

"She's dead..." Said Eiji.

"She died in the trial of tongues, with our group... We didn't really like her. I'll be honest, I hated her... I wasn't really with the group at the time either though. Hiro and I were in our own group, with the Leviathan's."

Freya's face became stone.

"So you can willingly go into a party with a bunch of monsters, but my sister is a demon? Well, I can see where your priorities are."

"SHUT YOUR MOUTH WORM!" Hiro yelled.

"You don't know the FIRST THING ABOUT MONSTERS! Try asking Lilith what she did to deserve that title. Because she, IS A MONSTER!"

Freya snapped. "YOU STUPID CHILD! YOU-!"

"Alright, all of ya shut the FUCK UP." Said Emi loudly.

"None of ya should be fightin'! Freya, these people risked their hides to save ya... And you."

She looked at Hiro.

"Don't run yer mouth about things ya don't understand... Ya all are runnin' yer mouths. Now let's just calm down..."

Eiji looked over at Nori, and saw that she was curled up into herself.

Her composure was stable, and she was standing up straight...

But she seemed completely closed off.

Very nervous.

"I think we should apologize to Nori." Said Eiji.

"We've been fighting, and she's been the most patient one here... All she wanted was to talk to Freya, and we interrupted that. Sorry Nori..."

She looked at Eiji.

"It was nothing to worry about..." She said softly.

She walked out of the cabin.

Emi sighed. "Dammit... I'd better follow her."

Emi followed Nori out of the cabin.

Freya stood.

"I am obligated to help Emi... The rest of you don't concern me."

Hiro gave a dark laughter.

"Is that so...? You're a self righteous cow... A 'warrior' who gets cursed to death by a fucking wimp like Niku!?"

She broke into fits of maniacal laughter.

"I mean... COME ON!" She yelled, her voice was tinted with a darker voice.

"Oh no!" Uwayaku-Kuhn exclaimed.

"Hiro! Calm down!"

Freya heard the voice of the ghost.

She laughed.

"If the girl has no self control, she deserves her fate."

Eiji glared at her.

"Just shut up. You don't know the first thing about Hiro... Have you even met Lilith?"

Freya froze.

Eiji smiled. "I thought not. We've lived with her, and the reason she was labeled a demon by us, is because she acted like one."

Max was in the process of trying to calm Hiro down.

He gestured toward him.

"These guys have been nothing but loyal and helpful to us... That's more than I can say for Lilith. And by the way? You really shouldn't run your mouth about things you don't understand... Especially about what's happening to Hiro."

Freya shook her head, and walked out.

Eiji looked down angrily.

"How can Emi get along with someone like her!?"

Sora sighed. "Emi seems to get along with most kinds."

He shook his head. "Well, Emi may understand her... I don't like her, and I won't pretend to."

"It's fine..." Hiro sniffed.

"I shouldn't have freaked out like that."

Eiji looked at her.

She was sitting on the edge of the bed, and her eyes were filled with tears.

She looked pretty shaken up.

Eiji sat next to her.

He held her face in his hands.

"You're going to be okay..." He said softly.

"We won't let a poltergeist harm you, alright?"

He leaned in to kiss her.

"No. None of that." Said Uwayaku-Kuhn sternly.

Eiji stopped.

"Um... Okay."

He hugged her instead.

"About that." He commented.

"There are some ground rules we need to set, now that we're in a more stable environment."

Sora groaned. "Really...? Come on Yaku-Kuhn, don't pretend like you were so innocent!"

Hiro stifled a laugh.

"Why am I not surprised?"

He sighed. "Yes, you have a point... But they don't need to be... Well... You know what I'm talking about Sora!"

She laughed. "I don't think they will. They seem to be pretty well rounded kids..."

"They seem to be..." He said.

"Kids can be foolish, just like anyone else."

She sighed. "But, try not to be mean..." She said.

"That won't help things either... How about you let me set the ground rules? Okay?"

"Fine... Just... Fine." He said.

He seemed to wander off.

She laughed.

"He can be a little hardened at times... But he does mean well."

Hiro smiled. "I know he does."

She sighed. "Just... Don't overdo it... A little kissing here and there is fine, but no being all over each other all the time... For one thing, it's annoying. It also leads to other things. So don't."

Eiji shifted uncomfortably.

He never imagined getting one of these talks from Hiro's grandmother.

He nodded.

"Okay... That's fair."

"Good." She said.

"I'm going to find Yaku-Kuhn, and the other two girls. Freya? Well..."

She was gone.

Eiji sighed.

"That was... Interesting."

Hiro held the bridge of hear nose.

"Ugh... Sometimes, those two..."

He gave her a small kiss.

"Don't worry about it so much."

She cuddled into him.

"Thanks for sticking up for me..." She whispered.

He wrapped his arms around her.

"Of course... You don't deserve to be talked to like that."

She gave him a soft kiss.

"Thank you Eiji... You are so wonderful... You're more of an angel than I am."

He held her close to him, pressing soft kisses to her lips.

He pressed one to her forehead.

"Not true..." He said softly.

She curled up into him, and they held each other.

They had to get back to the others soon, but they would save this small moment for them.

Just this moment...

Then things would start to get interesting.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6: Lost in thought, Rattling the Chains

Linn had been asleep for a while.

She felt her surroundings coming to her...

Kind of.

She sat, and felt this throbbing in her head. Her thoughts were clouded, and her mind couldn't stay on topic for even two seconds.

 _Where am I...?_

 _Two parts red toad, one part glowing mushroom for..._

 _The stems of the Ambrosia fruit have surprisingly different effects from..._

 _The bark of that tree... Isn't it used for...?_

 _Stop it! What the hell is going on!?_

 _The mass of a dwarf star on average is approximately..._

 _The metaphysical properties of purgatory vs earth vs heaven vs seed world vs..._

 _The differences are exactly..._

Linn felt blood trickling down her nose as pain shot through her head.

She stood, and held on to surrounding trees for support.

"Hello!?" She yelled.

"Hello! Anyone!?"

 _Each universe in tandem with the next, all linked by a complex chain which looks like..._

Blood came shooting out of her nose.

She fell to the ground, and held her head, screaming.

"MAKE IT STOP!" She wailed.

...

Chihiro and I had packed some less perishable foods, and Chihiro had found the defensive kimono that had been destroyed years ago in the battle of the bathhouse.

We were just about to leave, when they heard Linn scream.

"Was that Linn!?" Chihiro exclaimed.

I nodded. "I think so, sounds like she's in trouble!"

We ran toward the noise, and saw Linn curled up on the ground, blood running from her nose and mouth.

She looked like she was fading fast...

Chihiro held her hands on Linn's head.

"Heal her!" She yelled.

Linn let out a horrible scream, and her eyes shot open.

I cringed. "That was probably the most painful way to heal her... Just saying."

"Well, I don't know anything else." Chihiro said flatly.

Linn was shaking, and holding her head. She began muttering to herself.

"The seed... This matter is made of... Not made of... Killing, yet it is existence... The seed is..."

More blood.

I froze.

Linn had switched abilities with Shisuta... She had the well.

The seal that Chihiro had put on it for Shisuta must have broken.

"Chihiro, she has the knowledge well... You know, Shisuta's? This time it can't be a filter. We need to put a seal on it."

Chihiro had to heal Linn again... Ouch.

She sighed. "You're the one with my magic Haku... You're the only one who can place the seal."

Uh oh.

"I don't know how to use it. Even if I knew how to draw mana, I wouldn't be good enough to place such an advanced seal..."

Linn was still shaking.

Chihiro looked at her... Her eyes becoming calm and blank.

She was using my entrancing spell consciously.

"Linn... Go to sleep, and stop all conscious thought. You are tired, wake up later."

Her eyes became heavy, and she fell asleep.

Chihiro looked at me.

"That buys us some time..."

She looked up thoughtfully.

"Wait... Can't I just show you how to do the seal with your river magic? That could work..."

I was nervous about that suggestion... Mind tap could be dangerous for her if she didn't have complete control over her mind... There were even times when I faltered in it.

However, if I can't place a seal on Linn before she wakes up, she'll die. All of her currently suppressed thoughts will come flowing back all at once, and kill her.

I gave a heavy sigh.

"Please be careful, and pull your mind back before you pull your hand back. This is essential."

She nodded. "I will... Thank you for the warning."

She put her hand to my head...

The procedure was complex, and fairly strenuous to the caster. It took about an hour to complete, and that was after you managed to draw up the well.

There was no way I could have done this if she hadn't shown me how through direct thought.

My vision became normal again, and I grabbed my head.

"That IS a lot! Well..."

I sighed. "At least I have your magic to work with."

I had an extremely hard time drawing up the well. Apparently it took twice as long as it should have. The well was very hard to seal...

I was exhausted by the end.

I fell on my back... And just lied there for five minutes.

I let out a large sigh.

"Thank god... I thought that would never end."

Chihiro smiled. "Yeah... That one sucks."

I sat.

"Do you think she'll be okay?"

Linn seemed to be resting peacefully now.

Chihiro nodded. "I think she'll be fine."

I felt a warmth cross my chest...

Yes. Linn would be okay.

Her eyes fluttered open.

"Woah... Where am I...?" She mumbled, still in a daze.

"I think we're in the world of the seed." I said.

"How are you feeling?"

She looked at me.

"Oh... Hey Haku... You too Chihiro? Heh... Small world... Whathe...? Where am I? My... Head. It feels like... Like rainbows..."

She gave a goofy looking smile.

Chihiro laughed.

"Oh wow... They say there's adverse effects sometimes. I guess she got... Well, high. It's only temporary."

Linn laughed.

"No! Don't worry ociffer... I'm... Not stoned. But... Could you do that again?"

I shook my head.

"Wow... She really is blitzed. Holy hell..."

She rubbed her hands across the grass.

Her eyes widened.

"You guys... The ground is sooooooooooo... Soft... Have you seen this stuff!? Damn... They should put thish shit in pillowsh... Sho fluffy..."

Chihiro couldn't stop laughing.

"Can we please stay here a little longer!? This is really entertaining!"

Linn had a white bunny in her hands... She was snuggling it... But from the back end."

I laughed. "I'm going to tell her about that when she's sober."

Chihiro laughed again. "Where'd she get the bunny!?"

Looked at her...

Good question.

Linn couldn't catch small fast animals sober...

How did she manage holding this bunny completely stoned.

Linn set down the bunny.

She patted it on the head.

"Who's a good bunny?"

She froze.

"Wait... I remember you...? You're..."

The bunny fell over dead, and melted away until there were only bones left.

Linn was shaking.

"Oh... Fuck this! Not again... Not this again..."

Again?

Chihiro and I had both stopped laughing.

"What do you mean again?" I asked her.

She continued shaking.

"Again... Not again... It was always my pets. Why did I keep on trusting him with them... I'd... I'd save them from the cold... Every year a new one... Every year father would take them for a walk... And... I never ate dinner those days. And when he found out it was me who was bringing them in... He'd..."

She grabbed her head.

"No... NO! I am NOT REMEMBERING THAT! GO AWAY! STOOPP!"

Chihiro held her.

"It's alright..." She said softly.

"Just calm down... Calm down..."

She looked at her.

"Forget that... It's not important."

Linn's eyes glassed over.

She shook her head.

"Woah... That was a trip. What happened?"

I sighed. "There's a lot to go over..."

I looked at Chihiro. "We may have to stay here another day and sort things out..."

She nodded. "Sounds like a plan."

...

Emi was sitting under the tree where her and Nori had talked.

She gave a heavy sigh.

"Damn... Today was a mess. Why do ya all gotta fight like that?"

She cared a lot about Freya, but she also cared about Hiro, Eiji, and the Leviathan's.

Especially Fred.

The way they had picked at each other... It had actually really hurt Emi to see that. Not that she would admit it...

No. They were all still too angry to listen...

She sighed. "I really shouldn't've said that shit to Hiro... Why'm I always spoutin' shit I shouldn't? Damn me... Damn me to hell. I don't deserve the friends I got."

Sora sighed. "That's not true..."

Emi jumped. "Holy hell! What the!?... Hi there..."

Sora floated down, and sat next to her.

"Why do you say that? You know, the others are pretty worried. You kind of ran off, and avoided everyone for the rest of the day."

Emi sighed. "Why're they worried? I thought they were to caught up bein' angry and all that."

Sora laughed. "Actually? They worked it out already. Freya had apologized, and they seem to be getting along. They even exchanged stories, and perspectives on Lilith... I had no idea that she had been cast down for such petty reasons."

Emi looked down. "Yeah... The way Freya tells it, she been cast away for nothin' 'sides leader conflicts... Well, that's what she says... Like it's cause Freya was born a few seconds first, she could stay... But cause they were so fearsome of Lilith as she got older, they cast her off. Freya don't remember none of it, cause she had her mind wiped... Not all the way though... She does have a memory that she says is of her and Lilith... She ain't shared it though."

Sora looked at her.

"That's basically what she told us... They all think they've hurt your feelings... They really are worried."

Emi looked away. "Well, it did hurt to see'em all fightin' like that... It don't matter though, that's done."

Sora phased in front of her.

"It does matter. Don't be little yourself, or how you feel. All that does is hurt you... No one else but you."

Emi put her guard up.

"It's fine. I'll be okay... Honest."

Sora shook her head.

"Have it your way..."

She disappeared.

Emi teared up.

"What the hell is wrong with me...? Why'd I do that?"

Nori sat next to her.

She shrugged. "No one's perfect. I think that's what she's trying to tell you."

Emi looked at her.

"So ya can see sora? Another medium? Damn... And for the longest time, I was thinkin' I was the only one."

She smiled. "Well, you're not."

She fidgeted nervously.

"I can only visit for a little longer... Sorry."

Emi gave an annoyed sigh.

"Ya don't need to say sorry so much... Really, I don't bite."

She looked down.

"Sorry, it's just... Oh, right sorry... Dammit!"

She covered her mouth and looked around.

She seemed to melt from relief.

"I am just so glad that no one heard that."

Emi shook her head.

"Ya really do worry too much... Don't. Ya wanna teach me how to read?"

Nori gave an eager nod.

"I would love that! I could teach you other things too!"

Emi grinned. "Well... No. Not unless ya let me help you."

Nori twitched. "I said no... I don't need your help."

Emi shrugged. "Then I don't need to read. Who needs words 'n talkin' right anyway?"

"Everyone!" She exclaimed.

"Once you start reading, you'll thank me! I promise!"

Emi gave an overdramatic sigh of feigned sadness.

"Well, ya don't want me to help... I'd feel just rotten acceptin' yer help after ya refused such a generous offer... Well, damn. Sorry 'bout that... Guess my final answer is-"

She stopped her.

"Wait!... Damn you. That was well played."

Emi grinned. "Yea... Course it was! Now are ya listenin' or not?"

Nori gave her a glowering look of acceptance.

"Fine. But if I don't like it, the deal is off."

Emi sighed. "Just listen... I met lot's a people like you. They think they hafta stay where they are, like they ain't as lucky as other people... This ain't true. What's happenin' is that he don't want ya to leave. He wants ya to stay there, 'n take care a him... Look, I don't give a damn about what he's told ya. I've heard everything from them sayin' this person can't live without them watchin' them, or makin' this person feel small so they think they can't. Well ya can do whatever ya want... No one should strong arm any lady, or anybody into stayin' somewhere they're miserable. Not while I'm around."

Nori looked down nervously.

"What did you have in mind."

Emi looked at her.

"That depends... What's goin' on?"

Nori's expression became more relaxed... Even a little angry.

"I'm always watching my sisters. I'm always working so they can all eat, and live. I clean the house, I do the yard work, I tend to the animals, and I'm always cleaning up their messes."

Her face became more angry.

"I love my sisters... But they can be so disgusting! They're always talking like my dad does... Like I do nothing, and I'm just some lazy maid! Yet, I protect them from his wrath... As long as I walk on eggshells for him, and tiptoe around his anger, everything's fine... The moment I say anything!..."

"Nori! Come in the house! You got dinner tonight, remember? Come on!"

She stood.

"I have to go. Goodnight Emi."

Emi sat there, and thought.

"Yea... I know what I'll do... I'll hafta run it past her first."

She stood, and realized she had no idea where everyone was staying.

"Uh oh... Um... Shit. Where is everyone?"

Uwayaku-Kuhn appeared.

"They're having dinner at Nori's house, the woman you were just talking to."

She sighed.

"Okay... Well, did ya hear any a that? That ain't fair..."

He nodded. "No, it's not. Sadly, it's quite a common occurrence

Emi shook her head.

"Nope. Not while I'm around. Ya all can be sure a that!"

He sighed. "Then do what you can, just be careful not to stir the pot too quickly with this one."

He disappeared.

Emi walked over to the house.

She gave a frustrated groan.

"I'm gonna have a really bad time bein' nice to this guy... I can just feel it."


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7: Roadblocks

Emi, Hiro, and Freya were all seated in the house.

Boh and Onna were treated as guests of honor, along with the Leviathan's and other people, outside at a bonfire.

The three of them were inside, because they were to be hosted by the household of the chosen, as was custom of those who serve Goliath.

Not that they did... But they weren't going to tell them that.

Eiji and Kaihn weren't there yet, and Hiro was getting a little worried.

"What's taking them so long..." She mumbled nervously.

"I hope they're okay..."

"Are they not here yet?" Asked Nori's father.

"I'm sure they've gotten busy with some work... They should be here anytime now."

Emi sighed. "Yea... I mean, Eiji don't get into no trouble that easy I'm sure... The kid's got super senses, for real."

The man smiled.

"I take it you're one of the maids that travels with these folks? You should help Nori in the kitchen, that girl gets so carried away..."

It took everything Emi had not to jump over the table, and smack his face into the ground.

Both Freya's and Hiro's eyes widened.

Emi nodded.

"Yea... I'll help'er." She said between gritted teeth.

This could be a good opportunity to talk to Nori about what she was thinking.

The man waved his hand.

"Get to it then."

Emi clenched her fists as she walked away.

 _That bastard'll have his..._

 _I'll shove them pretty wine glasses up his-!_

"Oh... Hi Emi." Said Nori, a hint of surprise in her voice.

"What are you doing here? Aren't you supposed to be seated with your friends?"

Emi sighed. "Yea... But yer dad thought I was a maid... Thought I'd use it for some good."

Nori nodded. "It does give us some time in private."

She looked out of the window.

"I wonder why the other two haven't arrived yet?" She asked.

Emi shrugged. "Beats me... Eiji's probably pickin' flowers for Hiro, and Kaihn's probably stuck babysittin' again... Yea, that sounds 'bout right..."

...

Kaihn was hiding in a tree.

A very tall, and shadowy tree.

Why? Because all of the single woman he had watched children for, were extremely interested in him. Some more than others.

Most of them were varying, but normal levels of desperate.

There were two that seemed completely insane, and had forced him to hide up in this tree.

The first had hung onto his shoes, and wouldn't let go.

The second had knocked him out with a chloroform soaked rag, and proceeded to remove his clothing, and tie him to her built in stripper pole...

That was a nasty one to get out of.

Luckily for him, he was a master of evasion and distractions. This allowed him to dodge incoming attacks gracefully and effortlessly, use distracting situations to his advantage, escape almost any confinement, camouflage if given the proper preparations... And yes, undo knots tied by insane female kidnappers.

He gave a quiet sigh.

 _I think they're gone... Maybe I can climb down the tree soon, and head over to dinner._

 _They're probably wondering where I am..._

 _Maybe..._

 _Probably not._

A woman giggled beside him.

He jumped.

"Pretty view, right?" She asked.

He backed away.

"I said no! How many times do I have to ask you to go away!?"

She grabbed his arm.

"Please don't leave me!" She exclaimed.

"I just want you! And ONLY YOU! Please... Just one night!"

He tried to pull away.

"You just barely met me!" He exclaimed.

"Please let go... I'm sure you'll find someone who will love you and all of your... Eccentricities."

She dug her nails in.

"Why not you!? Why don't you LOVE ME!"

He sighed.

"Sorry about this..."

He pressed his index finger to her forehead.

"Sleep."

She fell asleep.

He intended to catch her, but missed.

She fell out of the tree, and hit multiple branches on the way down.

He climbed down, and saw that she had broken her leg.

"Oooohhh... Shit. What now?"

A man approached him.

"Hey! That's my wife! What happened, answer me you!"

Kaihn immediately put his hands up.

"I didn't do anything... She fell out of the tree."

 _MARRIED!? Oh what the hell?_

 _What is wrong with the women here...?_

 _Fuck me..._

The man grabbed him.

"You'd better explain yourself, pal."

Kaihn sighed.

He didn't want to reveal that she had tried to cheat, because he knew it may not end well for her.

 _Dammit..._

 _I can't just tell him... She's probably like this because of her life at home._

 _Why do I concern myself with these things...?_

"She said... She wanted to sit with me, and ask me about Goliath... I came with the other travelers. She leaned back to far, and fell out of the tree... I came down here to see how badly she was hurt."

The man let go of him.

"I see... Well, it's horrible she's gotten hurt. Take her to Nori, she's the chosen healer."

Kaihn nodded.

"I will."

He sighed as he carried her back to the cabin, and went to find Nori. He left the woman a note telling her to stay there, and that he knew she was married. This was because Nori would be using blood magic to heal her, and he didn't want her being exposed to religious extremists...

 _Reduced to blackmail?_

 _Kaihn... How do you get yourself into these messes...?_

...

Eiji had spent the last hour or two trying to get a giant armadillo off of his back.

Yes... An armadillo.

No really... It was huge.

This backpack sized pink armadillo had attached itself to Eiji's back, and would not let go.

He had fallen down two hills, fell into at least four thorn bushes, and ran himself into countless trees all while trying to remove it.

"Please get off of me armadillo..." He begged.

"You've caused me a lot of trouble... Shoo... Shoo! Back to your blindingly bright pink family!"

It seemed to snuggle him as it held on tighter.

He sighed. "You're freaking cute... I'll give you that."

He fidgeted nervously.

"But I can't go to dinner with this pink armadillo thing attached to my back! Oh... What the hell."

He stood.

"I'm hungry. I'll try to explain it when I get there... They're all going to mock me... Hiro's going to think I'm so weird. It may be even worse than the Prince of Rain..."

He was thankful they had forgotten about that.

Eiji was on his way back to the Grove of Goliath.

He knew he shouldn't have strayed far, but that unnatural looking pink seemed off in a lush looking place like this.

The armadillo made happy squealing noises as Eiji began to walk.

Eiji hung his head.

"Why do you have to be so damned adorable? Huh? Why?"

It snuggled into him.

He laughed. "Now you're just showing off."

A strange man walked up to him... He was wearing fairly normal clothes, and his face was bare. He had no hair, and no overly prominent features.

"Um... Can I help you?" Eiji asked.

His eyes widened as the man undressed, and revealed an eye...

He gaped.

 _That's no place for an eye!_

 _Just bent over..._

 _And there was AN EYE!_

 _Please dear whoever I pray to now..._

 _Send me bleach for my brain..._

 _And maybe a blender..._

 _Holy shit._

Eiji booked it from the scene.

He was never going to un see that, was he?

He ran toward the Grove town, the armadillo was shaking on his back.

 _The poor thing was probably scarred... I know I am._

Eiji slowed his pace to a walk...

He heard rattling chains behind him.

Eiji froze.

"What's that sound...?"

He turned around to face a large black sheep... It had glowing red eyes.

"Oh... It's a Padfoot." He said.

He did a double take.

"Oh FUCK! That's a PADFOOT!"

He ran as fast as he could with a giant armadillo on his back...

Pretty fast, but the Padfoot was also fast. Eiji was nearing the town, when a giant wall rose up...

No really... It was huge.

Taller than almost all of the trees, and impossible to get around...

Especially when he was being chased by a Padfoot, and had this pink creature to worry about, clutching to his back.

"Of all the times! A Nurikabe!? NOW!?"

A Nurikabe is literally a giant living wall that's impossible to pass.

You have to wait for it to go away, and Eiji wasn't sure how long he could keep running from this Padfoot.

"Never thought I'd see one of these..."

Said Kaihn on the other side of the wall.

"It's huge!" Nori exclaimed.

"HELP!" Eiji exclaimed.

The Padfoot let out a large roaring 'baaah!' Picking up the pace as chains rattled in it's footsteps again.

"What's going on in there!?" Kaihn exclaimed.

"A Padfoot!" He screamed.

"It's a FUCKING PADFOOT!"

"Are you SERIOUS!?" Kaihn exclaimed.

"There shouldn't be very many in these parts... At all."

"JUST HELP ME!" He yelled.

Uwayaku-Kuhn and Sora appeared before Kaihn.

"What's going on!?" They exclaimed.

"Not even spirits can break this wall." Said Sora.

"Eiji's back there right?"

Kaihn nodded.

"Yes! And he's trapped back there with a Padfoot!"

"Good GOD!" Uwayaku-Kuhn exclaimed.

"That's some awful luck!"

"Yeah! I think so too!" Eiji exclaimed.

"What do I do to NOT DIE!?"

Sora sighed.

"I... don't actually know. If you DO live, tell me what it was like! There aren't many sightings, you see... And even less survivors... Well... None actually... Good luck!"

"Thanks a LOT!" He yelled.

"And by the way? IT'S TERRIFYING!"

There was another bah roar, and more chain rattling.

"What does it look like!?" She yelled.

"I would tell you, but I'm busy RUNNING FOR MY LIFE!" He screamed.

Kaihn sighed.

"Oh no... That woman is on the other side in the cabin. Eiji won't last much longer against a Padfoot..."

Eiji scoffed.

"Glad some WOMAN made up your mind!"

They heard ramming against a wall, and a strange squealing.

The running continued.

"HURRY!" He yelled.

"I'll see what I can do!" Kaihn replied.

He looked up at that tall tree.

He looked at Nori.

"You're a a blood mage, specifically a blood changer, right?"

If she was, Kaihn could use her abilities temporarily by syphoning a small amount of her blood essence. Blood changers could change the physical properties of they're body.

They could only use the more powerful shifts a limited amount of times during the day. This allowed for many possibilities.

This is how she healed Emi.

If she makes blood contact with the patient, she can essentially change the properties of both bodies, herself, and the patients, into a healing salve.

The blood contact aspect of it was a powerful mutation within this blood magic trait. One Kaihn had never seen.

She nodded. "I am. Why?"

"May I borrow a small amount of your blood?" He asked.

She sighed.

"Sure..."

She pulled out a small needle, and pricked her finger.

"Take what you need, Syphoner."

Hiro was a blood syphoner, class, blood sword.

She could syphon the blood of enemies as a source of physical strength.

Kaihn was a blood syphoner, class, high mage.

He could use the abilities of those he syphoned from.

He syphoned the amount of essence for what he needed to do.

He had about two large spells...

That was all he needed.

He used one spell to make his body light, like a feather.

He jumped up to the tall tree.

He grinned.

"We'll see if you're so impossible to breach, Nurikabe."

He jumped high above the wall.

Time for the second spell.

He made his essence sharp and heavy, piercing through the sky high barrier, and plummeting to the ground.

He held out his hand straight, and plunged it into the Padfoot's back, piercing through to it's heart, and killing it.

He laughed.

"And they said it was impenetrable... Liars."

Eiji gaped at him.

The wall was gone, and so was the Padfoot.

"Y-You just... Holy... God... How did you do that!?"

He shrugged.

"Came up with it on a whim... It worked, didn't it?"

Eiji nodded. "Yes. Yes it did."

Kaihn looked at Eiji curiously.

"Um... Er... You have a... It's pink."

Eiji gave a defeated sigh.

"It's an armadillo... And yes. It's definitely pink."

Uwayaku-kuhn and Sora appeared.

You could hear Uwayaku-Kuhn cringe.

"That is some nasty bad luck!" He exclaimed.

Sora gave an excited gasp.

"Wow! I've never seen one of those either! It's so cute... Look at it Yaku-Kuhn! Isn't it just precious?"

He sighed. "Yes... They ARE adorable. However, they cause horrible luck. When it fully matures, this stage passes, and it will serve Eiji as a loyal companion, and powerful battle partner... Until then? They are impossible to remove. They also get very big, and hard to carry."

Eiji hung his head.

"I guess you get to stay... You neon menace."

It squealed with joy, and hugged Eiji tightly.

"Aren't you just the cutest most adorable creature in existence! Yes you are!" She gushed.

Uwayaku-kuhn sighed.

"Yes... It's very cute."

Eiji sighed as they walked back.

 _Hiro..._

 _She'll think this is so weird..._

 _She'll never hug me again, and I need hugs from Hiro..._

 _I'll wither away, a loveless Eiji!_

 _I'll become a hermit, and wait for the world to crumble as this neon pink monstrosity takes hundreds... No, thousands of YEARS! Just to mature..._

 _Hiro will be so sad... I'll be in hiding, shunned by the world!_

 _Or... Maybe she'll think it's cute?_

 _That's a possibility._


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8: What Doesn't Kill You Comes Back, And Tries To Kill You Again

Chihiro and Linn were listening as I explained what was going on. I had let them both know that we are potentially timed, and that something may try to lead us astray once we start wandering.

I also had a feeling that we had the best deal so far out of anyone else.

We had time to prepare, the others were possibly less fortunate.

Chihiro sighed. "So that wall... It really is spreading, isn't it?"

I nodded. "Yes, and unfortunately it's everywhere. Earth, purgatory, the heavens, and everywhere else. It's all being consumed by darkness, and erased from existence. The seed world may or may not be affected by this."

Linn held her head.

"Damn... So it's pretty bad then."

Chihiro nodded. "Sounds like it... My question is, who's the closest to the seed?"

I thought for a moment.

"That'd be none of us. I think we have to move forward, and find each other before we can make any solid guesses. The seed is quite elusive it seems..."

Linn nodded. "Yeah, we should definitely find the others before we go looking for this seed. Then we can figure out who switched abilities with who, and put together more pieces."

We all stood.

"Alright then." I said.

"I'll focus on tracking the others. Linn, since your training was nonmagical, you can defend yourself the best. I need you to look out for anyone or anything from behind trying to attack us. Chihiro, you will be my set of eyes in the front. I will be focusing on other locations, so you'll have to cover any blind spots Linn can't get. That means even if we are fighting, and Linn encounters someone, you are looking out where she's not for another ambush. Your job is the hardest."

"Then we're leaving?" Chihiro asked.

"Yes, we are." I said.

Linn sighed. "Good... I just hope Kuhn and the others are okay."

...

Eiji had a very hard time sleeping last night.

That pink armadillo didn't lend to much comfort. Boh and Onna wanted one as a pet, considering the size... That was until he told them all of the trouble it caused.

Hiro showered Eiji in hugs, and even more hugs after she realized there was a cute pink animal with him... This made him smile a little. He had decided to name it Neon. Not very gender specific, and it was accurate.

The Leviathan's came running to him as soon as he got back to town. They also gushed over the cute armadillo, but were also relieved that he was okay. They had managed to summon back all of the groups things from Deadmarch. Eiji was confused, because Deadmarch was destroyed. To that, they replied: Pocket dimensions.

Eiji had asked Chikakū why he hadn't done anything. Eiji was sure that he could have done SOMETHING to break that wall.

He simply laughed and said.

"SUCH THINGS DO NOT CONCERN ME MORTAL... YOU NEED TO SCHEDULE MY ASSISTANCE FOR THE MOST EFFECTIVE RESULTS. I WILL GIVE YOU THE ANSWER MOST COMMON FROM A MAGIC 8 BALL... ASK AGAIN LATER..."

Eiji was so infuriated, and went on about all of the ways he could have died.

Chikakū laughed again and said.

"SORRY... MY BAD. NEXT TIME I WILL START ARRANGING NICER FLOWERS... THE REST? WELL... I AM AFRAID THAT IS YOUR PROBLEM."

"That lazy omnipotent bastard..." Eiji muttered to himself.

"If I die because he doesn't want to move? I'll haunt his viney hide."

The sun was rising, and Eiji hadn't gotten any sleep.

He sat up, dark circles under his eyes.

Not only did he feel tired, and slightly malnourished because Neon decided it needed to eat his dinner...

He felt off. Like something was more wrong than usual.

He felt a wave of dizziness wash over him as he stood.

Neon was squealing... Probably hungry.

"What... Ish it?" He slurred.

"Whadda you want?"

It started screaming.

Eiji looked behind him, and saw that the blankets in his tent were soaked with blood.

He looked at his arm, and saw it was dripping.

He became faint, and nearly fell over.

He walked out of the tent, and was stumbling over to the bonfire for breakfast.

He knew he was bleeding... He just didn't know how to respond to it at the moment.

His mind was a fuzzy cloud of haziness...

He couldn't think straight, or walk straight.

He sat down next to Hiro on a log.

She looked at him, and her eyes widened.

"Eiji!? Eiji, you're bleeding! A lot!"

His head bobbed back and forth.

"Huh...? What...?"

The others surrounded him. Emi lifted his sleeve, and saw that they hadn't removed the hard-silver seal yet. It had become merged with his flesh, and was having horribly adverse effects.

"Shit!" She exclaimed.

"That's still there!? No wonder he ain't been castin'! Them seals? They hurt something' fierce... It's when they stop hurtin' that they start doin' damage... Dammit! He'll bleed out no matter what we do, unless we remove it now."

She looked up at Chikakū.

"Please help Eiji..." She said.

"Would ya do that for me?"

Chikakū nodded.

"SURE... SINCE YOU HAVE REQUESTED IT EMIKA... THIS BOY WILL HAVE HIS SEAL REMOVED."

Emi lifted Eiji into the palm of his hand.

Chikakū raised his other hand over the seal, and liquid metal came rising out of his flesh. Eiji seemed to instantly pass out. Either from pain, or blood loss... Hiro guessed both.

He wasn't bleeding when Chikakū set him down, and the towns people cried out for joy, screaming out Goliath's miracles...

Oh hell... Will they ever figure it out?

The woman Kaihn had healed yesterday looked...

Well, thoughtful.

She was the only one not screaming Goliath's praise, and she seemed to be leaving Kaihn alone. That other woman he had mentioned was nowhere too be found.

Hiro guessed that she might have been a demon.

They may need to look out for her.

Emi had talked to Nori about what she had in mind.

Nori agreed to let Emi...

Well, stalk her.

Not her specifically, but her and her dad.

She wanted to see the difference between when he was in the company of others, and when they were behind closed doors.

Nori had shown her some vents she had considered using to get out of the house once.

Emi deemed them stable, and had started using them.

Hiro and Eiji were pretty put off by the idea, until Freya and Emi explained why they used that method.

After that, it made much more sense.

Hiro went to tend to Eiji, and Max went with her.

Emi went to spy on Nori's father.

Kaihn was hiding again, from the normally desperate single mothers.

He made sure to stay close to town, lest the demon woman decided to call back...

An unwelcome call for sure.

Freya was acting as company for Nori and her father, so Emi could get an accurate look at what behind closed doors looks like.

Boh and Onna were still sitting by the fire.

They were fairly tired, but beginning to wake up.

Boh looked at a shadow from a tree...

It had a white mask...

Wait!... No... It didn't.

Everywhere he looked, he saw his friend No-Face. Yet, he knew No-Face was gone.

He had set his broken, pieced together mask on the shrine. And had watched his form fade into nothingness...

He wondered if his old friend was happy, and hopefully there was a better heaven for No-Face.

He could hope, but he was seriously doubtful.

"What's the matter?" Onna asked him.

"You look so sad... Is everything okay?"

He sighed. "No... Nothing has been okay lately. You know? I thought that losing No-Face was the most horrible thing I'd ever experienced... Now I've lost everyone else too. That's pretty bad... I mean, I felt like they'd just forgotten about me..."

He teared up.

"The worst part is? I think I was becoming more and more a part of the background this whole time. There was a time when Haruka and I were very close... That seemed to fade as well. I just... I feel very alone."

Onna stared at him.

"You're not alone..." She said softly.

She smiled sadly.

"Trust me, I understand loneliness. Feeling like you don't even exist... It's one of the worst feelings. It's also one of the most innacurate."

He looked at her.

She smiled.

"I notice you, and I think you're very kind. You are stubborn, and strong... But you're also sensitive. You've had to cover it up lately, but I'm sure there was a time when it was more prominent in your life. When you feel invisible, all of those words you want to say go unspoken... And that softer kindness is locked away. I can see it... You are so kind Boh. You can be kind to yourself too."

She had absolutely taken the pages of his life, and read them in front of him...

As if she could look into his soul, and see him like she was reading a dairy...

His diary... His soul seemed laid out before her.

He kissed her.

"Then... Allow me that kindness. You are beautiful Onna..."

Her face went red.

She kissed him back.

"Thank you..." She said softly.

Yubaba was sitting on a tree, out of sight.

She smiled.

"Well it's about time..."

She looked over the horizon.

"Oh dear... It seems trouble is coming. I hope Boh is prepared."

And with that... She was gone.

...

Eiji's blankets had been washed and put out to dry. Hiro sighed as she looked at him.

"Eiji... You should have said something..."

Max sighed.

"He will get better... I am glad he's okay."

Hiro nodded. "Me too..."

 _Hiro... You're eyes. The way the cabin window lets the light shine into them..._

 _It's like a golden green. Like heavens harvest laid before my own eyes._

 _Eyes you will never gaze into..._

 _It hurts more and more every day it seems._

 _When will I break?_

 _Could I ever tell her?_

 _Would she still see me as some dog, or vicious beast?_

 _This feeling... It's like the weight of the world is sitting on my chest..._

 _It's suffocating to be so close to her, and to know I'll never have her..._

 _If I wasn't mad before? I'm being driven into the purest of insanity now._

 _So long... So long I've loved her._

 _This is driving me crazy. I need some air..._

"Hiro... I'm going to get him some water. You stay here and watch him, okay?"

She smiled at him.

"Of course. Max... You are so kind. Thank you for getting him water."

Max blushed. "Um... It's no trouble."

He walked out, and Hiro couldn't help but notice how sad he looked.

 _Max... I hope you're okay._

 _I know you're going through something right now, because you've been hiding your thoughts from me._

 _Max... I used to look at you like a dear friend, and also a pet._

 _The last one has changed._

 _It's clear to see you're not an animal... However, I'm hiding my thoughts from you now._

 _I'm so afraid that maybe I'm the one hurting you._

 _I have this feeling that you're almost..._

 _Choking around me._

 _Like you can't breathe..._

 _Please just tell me Max, because it's so hard for me to ask you._

 _Tell me what's wrong... What am I doing wrong?_

 _What am I missing!?_

 _Because you seem so sad... And it's tearing me apart!_

 _Please... Tell me what's wrong._

There was a knock on the door.

Hiro sighed, and opened it.

"Max... You know you don't have to..."

It wasn't Max.

It was Shinjitsu, and Niku was with him.

He grinned.

"Remember what I said about the dreamstone amulet?"

Hiro froze.

She had completely forgotten about that.

Eiji sat up.

"H... Hiro?"

He looked at the door.

He stood.

"You! What are you-!?"

He teleported over to Eiji, and held a knife to his throat.

Eiji was to weak to fight back.

Shinjitsu laughed.

"Now then, no need to get too excited. Hiro."

He looked at her.

"I'll be taking Eiji. One move from you that I don't order, and I'll kill him... You know I can."

Hiro went pale.

"Don't listen to him!" Eiji exclaimed.

Shinjitsu held the knife harder against his throat, drawing a small amount of blood.

"Quiet you! I'll kill you now if you want! Then your girlfriend."

He grinned.

"Or I can tie you up, and you can watch me cut her to pieces... Your choice."

Eiji was shaking.

He didn't want Hiro to get hurt. He was scared, and he was in no position to defend her.

Niku laughed. "You might want to listen to him, blood meag. He has magic that you cannot even fathom. A filthy meag such as yourself should bow to him."

"What do you want?" She asked.

Shinjitsu smiled.

"There's a good girl... I need you to get your friend Max to open a heaven portal for me. Once there, I can wipe out the seed world intruders, and claim the throne. I'll also need you to compensate for my friend, and deliver up Freya and Emi for me."

Hiro was pale, and shaking.

She couldn't betray her family, and her friends, and Eiji's family.

What could she do? Eiji was held hostage at knife point.

She sobbed.

"Eiji... I'm sorry..."

She shifted into a pixie, and cast the spell to switch places with an endangered ally.

"Run!" She screamed.

Eiji felt the world stop as Shinjitsu was about to slit her throat.

 _Eiji! EIJI! CAN YOU HEAR ME!?_

 _(Dad...? What's going on.)_

 _We're fine. Here... Take some of my strength. It's not much, but I'm sure you can use it. Protect Hiro, and get out of there._

 _(Okay... I will.)_

 _I love you... Please... Please stay safe._

Eiji shot his threads out, and slammed Shinjitsu against a wall, and away from Hiro.

He grabbed her, and ran out of the cabin.

They were running close to town, and Shinjitsu appeared in front of him.

"There's no escaping this time!" He yelled.

Eiji stopped being scared.

No, he was done being scared... He was pissed.

This was the angriest he had ever been. No one tries to kill his girlfriend, her family, and his family.

Absolutely crossing the line from hatred, into someone needs to die now mode.

Eiji shifted into a kelpie, with a pink armadillo on his back.

A kelpie is a water horse that can bind itself to it's victims...

And when it's a kelpie? They are ALWAYS victims.

Eiji ran into him, flipping Shinjitsu on his back, behind the armadillo. It was squealing gleefully...

Apparently it likes riding on a kelpie... Huh.

He growled.

"TRY ESCAPING ME!" He roared.

"Go ahead! Try teleporting! I DARE YOU! YOU'RE BOUND TO ME ASSHOLE! NO ESCAPE! HOW DOES IT FEEL!?"

Shinjitsu was bound to the kelpie, and so his spells were bound as well.

He tried desperately to dismount from the kelpie, but all of his efforts were failing.

Niku had already ran off.

Eiji ran Shinjitsu into town.

He was on a rampage, slamming him into every tree and boulder he could manage.

"I am so SICK OF YOU!" He screamed.

Boh stood.

"It's him! He's the one who killed No-Face!"

He was continuously slamming him into a large oak. Screaming obscenities left and right.

Shinjitsu had been severely damaged.

He tried to escape when he finally dismounted.

Boh grabbed him.

"Remember me?" He said.

Shinjitsu nodded fearfully.

Boh glared at him.

"Good... Because I'm the last thing you'll see."

Boh wrapped his hand around Shinjitsu's head, and crushed it.

Shinjitsu had died.

He faded right in Boh's hand.

All of his soldiers who had marched up, had now collapsed to the ground.

Most were shaking, and some had broken into cries and sobs.

"That's horrible!" Uwayaku-Kuhn exclaimed.

"What kind of person hollows children as brainwashed soldiers!? That's sickening."

"I agree." Said Sora.

"The poor dears... They need someone! Someone to talk to! Anyone... This has to be a living nightmare!"

A voice whispered to her.

 _"That might make things interesting... This dream... I can do whatever I want here... I am never lonely when I have my dolls... I have some new ones. Did you know that? Ten more for my collection. Why am I telling you this? You aren't real..."_

Uwayaku-Kuhn jumped.

"Did you hear that!? Who was that!?"

 _"You can hear me...? Oh. Okay... I guess dreams have been a little strange lately. It's so maddening when my dolls can't hear me... I am so alone... NO! NO! NOO! Never... I have them. They're mine... All mine! I want them back! I WANT THEM BACK!... But... You seem to know my plight in this way. No one can hear you, yet you want to be heard... I guess I can grant you that before I play with you again. There... Better?"_

They collapsed to the ground, they're bodies physical.

"What in the world!?" Uwayaku-Kuhn exclaimed.

"But... But HOW!? No... This is impossible!"

Everyone was staring at them.

They both stood.

Sora laughed nervously.

"Oh hi... He he... Remember me? Maybe not...? We're just ghosts... Well... We were... What the hell."

Uwayaku-Kuhn sighed.

"Well... 'Goliath' is our transportation, and an eternal warlord has just been slaughtered by Eiji... Who was a kelpie bound to a bright pink, cursed armadillo. We really shouldn't be that surprised."

Hiro looked at them.

She gave a flat sigh.

"I need to sleep... And then wake up. I'm convinced now... I'm going to wake up in a straight jacket, locked up in a loony bin."

She crawled inside of her tent, and went to sleep.

Sora laughed.

"Teenagers! They can be so overdramatic!"

Nori blinked.

"I... Agree with Hiro on this one... Goodnight."

She fainted.

The people of the Grove of Goliath were staring at them.

A woman gaped.

"I remember HER! SHE'S A HERETIC!"

Sora gave a deflated sigh.

"Not this again..."


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9: Inverted

Shisuta woke up in a daze...

Something was missing.

She rubbed her head.

"What in the world...?" She muttered to herself.

The ground she was on was covered in Snow.

It soon became uncomfortably warm...

Warm!?

 _What in blazes!? Snow is not warm! Where am I?_

 _(Sh-Shisuta!? What the...? What are you... How can I hear you!? Where are you!? I haven't been able to reach Haruka at all... I'm really worried.)_

 _Hold on... Let me see if I can figure out what is going on with all of this._

She tried to draw into her well...

 _Come on Shisuta! The well! You have done this before!_

She dug deeper...

There was no well.

"What!?"

 _No no no no NO! Where is it!? Where's the well!?_

 _(You don't have the well!?... Hmm... but you have the hive mind... Maybe Haruka has the well?)_

 _That's a very good possibility... Have you noticed anything on your end?_

 _(Yes, actually. Kuhn has developed Lumina powers... We're in a group together. Just us though... He even has the wings. I don't, so I guess we switched... But, I have Kahn's armor, and his crossbow. I'm not sure who switched with who, but this is getting just plain confusing!)_

 _I know what you mean... I hope whoever has the well can handle it. That can be very dangerous..._

Kuhn was standing in front of her.

 _Karo? I thought you said Kuhn was with you? Where are you?_

 _(...He is with me. Shisuta, let me see...)_

"Um... Excuse me?" She asked

"Who are you?"

His head twitched unnaturally to the side, and his eyes bulged out of his head... A very toothy and maddened smile went from ear to ear on his face.

She screamed.

 _(Shisuta! That's definitely NOT KUHN! You need to run! NOW!)_

She moved out of the way as he fragmented, and his body became a bunch of sharp Kunai, trying to impale her.

"Stay AWAY!" She screamed.

The knives began chasing her.

She tried desperately to dodge them... They had her cornered.

She was frozen.

 _(Shisuta!? SHISUTA! RUN! MOVE!)_

 _I... I can't... Move... I'm too scared. No... I can't move... Not a muscle._

 _(Dammit! Just MOVE! YOU'LL DIE!)_

She was sitting, there frozen in a state of silent dread...

The knives hovered over her for a moment...

They pieced back together into the fake Kuhn.

He let out a laugh... Kind of.

It was like his mouth had sank into a gaping droopy frown. Tears streaming down his face as his jaw seemed to melt.

Shisuta was shaking, tears streaming down her own face.

She was trying to make her sobs silent, because she knew one thing.

It stopped attacking her, when she stopped all motion and noise.

He walked away.

Shisuta waited until it was long gone, then burst into tears.

 _(That is possibly the scariest thing I've ever seen!... Shisuta... Where are you? We're looking for Linn right now, but I'll find you... I promise. It calmed down when you stopped making noise. You know that too... I can feel it. If you ever need anywhere to escape, try looking through my eyes... It's dangerous here, but a lot less scary.)_

He showed her how to use the hive mind, by giving her the skills in direct thought.

 _I see... Okay. Karo... I don't want to move. I don't want to run into anymore of those things! Please... Hurry. I am so scared._

 _(Okay, but you have to move... Even if it's really slow, or quiet. You can't be out in the open like that... They'll see you.)_

Shisuta's shirt lit on fire, and she screamed.

"What!? NO! Out! OUT!"

 _(Shisuta! Calm down! Please! Just take off the shirt! I don't think the natives will mind... They seem insane as it is.)_

She tore the shirt off, and watched it burn in the snow.

"It's... So hot... Karo..."

Haruka ran up to her...

She was...

It was like she was flailing at her, her arms were broken, and her bones would fly in and out of her body as they flew toward her.

She had that same smile that Kuhn did.

Shisuta fell to the ground, and cringed as the snow touched her bare back. She stayed motionless and silent.

Haruka stopped.

She flopped a broken arm on Shisuta's shoulder, and began twitching violently, that same crying laughter poured from her... Her mouth seemed to melt.

Shisuta jumped and completely stifled a scream.

She held her breath so no loud sobs would escape.

Tears were running down her face, and she was shaking, trying to hold in sobs.

The snow was burning her back, and it was very painful.

Haruka scampered away, and Shisuta broke out into soft sobs.

"K-Karo..." She whispered.

"Please... Help me..."

 _(I just let Kuhn know what was going on! Don't worry, I'll find you... Oh Shisuta... I'm so sorry.)_

She stood, and stumbled forward.

She looked up at the sky...

It was like a glowing darkness...

It burned her eyes.

She collapsed to the ground, and held her breath so she wouldn't make any sound.

 _MY EYES! I CAN'T SEE!_

 _KARO! KAAR_ _OO!_

 _(Shisuta! Dammit... Just, get somewhere shaded and... Oh god... You can't see.)_

 _Karo... I think I'm going to die here._

 _(No! That's not happening!)_

 _No... I can feel myself... I'm burning._

 _It's... It's so hot... Karo..._

 _(I know... Just... Please! Hang in there Shisuta!)_

 _Sorry..._

 _(No! NO! NO! Don't you dare DIE ON ME!)_

 _..._

 _(Shisuta! Wake up!)_

 _..._

 _(Shisuta!? SHISUTA! NO! NOO!)_

Karo held his head, tears streaming down his face.

"What's going on now!?" Kuhn exclaimed.

"Is she okay!?"

Karo sobbed. "I... I don't know. She's dying!"

He grabbed Kuhn's shoulders.

"Kuhn! We have to find her NOW! COME ON!"

He tried to regain his composure, but was failing.

Kuhn knew the feeling.

He knew that if something like this had happened to Linn, he would be no different.

"Where did you feel her? How close are we?" Kuhn asked him.

He shook his head.

"Um... She was... It was... I don't know Kuhn. I think we have to find our way out in order to find her. There's no time... She's dying now!... She could be dead now for all I know. It's silent..."

He lost his composure.

"Dammit! What do I do!? It's like she's in some foreign dimension! I can't reach her, even if I know where! Dammit... I'm sorry... I'm really sorry..."

Kuhn put a hand on his shoulder.

"Don't be sorry. It's no one's fault... We'll try to find her. Don't worry, Shisuta's a genius. She'll make it out of this, and I'm sure you'll hear from her soon."

Karo nodded slowly.

"Alright... Let's just get out of here as fast as we can."

...

Shisuta felt arms wrap around her... They carried her somewhere.

It was nice and cool...

She sat up.

"Wh-Where am I...?"

A familiar voice spoke.

"It's me... Haruka."

Shisuta sobbed.

"Please tell me that's really you..."

Haruka paused for a moment.

"Can't you tell?"

Shisuta fumbled around in the darkness.

"Where are you...?" She asked.

"Y-You can't see... Can you?"

Shisuta began to cry again.

"No... I can't."

Haruka hugged her.

"I'm so sorry... My vision is a little messed up too, but I looked away in time, so it recovered somewhat."

 _I can't see where I am... But I know it's safe._

 _(Shisuta! You're alive... Thank god. It's just... I wish I could hold you. We haven't found a way out of this place... It's like a maze. The maze doesn't seem to have an end, and it's so confusing... There are stairs and tunnels... We even tried climbing over the walls to see where we were. We just ended up getting more confused. Kuhn tried flying us past walls... But he's worse than I am, and this place is decked with traps.)_

 _Karo... Yes, I'm safe. Haruka is with me... Hold on._

"Haruka. I have the hive mind with Karo."

She gave a relieved sigh.

"Thank goodness... I have something of yours too."

She seemed to sound more frightened.

"I don't think Sasageru's happy about the switch..."

I sighed.

"Well... Shit. That is definitely not good."

 _(Sasageru!? You've got to be kidding! Haruka has Sasageru, then who has the well?)_

 _That is a very good question._

...

Linn, myself, and Chihiro had ventured out into some woods. The air was fresh, and smelled wonderful... Everything was so beautiful.

I couldn't help but relax a little.

I shook my head.

No... I have to continue searching.

Scrying is much harder than I imagined, especially with nothing to go off of.

Chihiro gave a happy sigh.

"This place is gorgeous! And the weather is so perfect..."

"Yeah..." Said Linn softly.

"Almost scary perfect...

Chihiro sighed. "Guys, is it just me? Or is this getting exhausting!"

Linn shrugged. "I'm not that tired."

I sighed. "I am... I can't focus on scrying when I'm this tired... Maybe we should..."

I froze... That's not good.

"Linn, stop moving for a second."

She froze.

"What? What's the matter?"

I stared at her for a moment... I had this sick feeling in my stomach.

My eyes widened.

This was bad.

"Linn! We need to get all of us out of here!"

She became nervous.

"What's going on!? Would someone please tell me something!?"

"What's wrong!?" Chihiro asked.

I froze.

I didn't know if I wanted to tell Linn yet.

This place was draining us of our life force... Linn's unborn children were the path of least resistance... They would be the first to go...

And one was already dead.

I shook my head.

"There's no time! We need to move. Linn, I'm going to carry you. You need to not move at all... And don't say no, it's going to happen."

Now she looked scared.

"Fine! But please tell me what's happening DAMMIT!"

I lifted her up.

I turned to Chihiro.

"Let's just go! We need to get to another clearing! Now!"

She grabbed my hand.

"Let's go."

Chihiro ran as fast as she possibly could, and reached the next clearing.

I was just glad that she had been exposed to the swifter aspects of my magic before this switch...

If anything? The ability to run very fast was a good thing to know first hand in a place like this.

The place we went to next was the field...

The field on the human side... Except for it was surrounded by trees, and the path behind us was a large river.

There was another resting spot...

Chihiro's old blue house, that now rested in the middle of the field.

I was getting a bad vibe from it.

There were plenty of fruit trees, and a large water supply. We didn't need the house.

"Let's not go in that house." I said.

"I think it might be a trap."

Chihiro nodded.

"Alright then... Haku. What just happened?"

I set Linn down, and sat in the soft grass.

I was tired... I was extremely tired.

I felt my head bobbing back and forth.

"Haku... What the hell is going on?" Asked Linn.

"This time, I want answers."

And she deserved answers...

It wasn't an easy answer to give, and she would be devastated.

I might as well skip all of the unnecessary details, and get straight to the point. No need to make this any more dramatic than it has to be.

I sighed, feeling a dizziness washing over me.

"That forest was draining our life force, and it killed one of your children."

That was the best I could do for explanations.

I know I wouldn't want some long overdrawn explanation, were it Eiji.

Linn was completely frozen.

She just stood there...

Then she sat down.

She held her hand over the spot where her children were growing.

She burst into silent cries, shaking as she hugged her knees.

She said nothing.

We were all silent, and I felt myself losing consciousness.

I was hungry...

Thirsty...

To tired to move.

Chihiro pulled some food and water that we had packed, out of the bags we had found back at the cottage.

She gave me the water, and some of the more fresh food. A rice ball, and some pork.

"Eat. You look tired." She said.

I shook my head.

"Hold on..."

I had another feeling.

"L-Linn... Linn, eat this..."

She shook her head, and continued shaking.

"J...Just... Do it. Chihiro..."

I grabbed her hand, and placed it on my head.

She saw the healing spell I was thinking about.

She looked at Linn.

She grabbed the rice ball and pork from me, as well as the water.

"Linn, he's trying to help you. Haku and I have switched abilities... Eat this, and maybe I can heal her."

Linn grabbed the food, and ate it.

She gulped down the water.

Chihiro nodded, and closed her eyes...

She placed her hands on Linn's stomach, and muttered the incantation for the healing spell.

Chihiro was at it for about thirty minutes.

She gave a tired smile after she finished.

"D... Did it." She whispered.

Her eyes rolled back, and she passed out...

I passed out soon after.


	10. Chapter 10

****Still sick. This cold refuses to leave, and I am REALLY sick of being sick. I have been so tired, it's been hard to write. I'll try to finish this chapter, and keep writing.**

 **Sorry for the wait.**

 **Enjoy Chapter 10! :)****

Chapter 10: Trial of Goliath, A Noble Cockroach

Sora and Uwayaku-Kuhn were put up on the block for trail.

ChiKaKū was standing before them as Goliath.

"This is bad..." Eiji whispered to Hiro.

She had woken up, and she wasn't in a mental hospital...

Though the sleep did help her calm down.

She nodded. "I know, but we can't possibly solve things peacefully if they know who we really are... I just hope ChiKaKū doesn't mess this up."

Eiji looked down nervously.

"Yeah... He's not the tactful sort, and he's brutally honest... We may not be able to solve things peacefully if this gets too out of hand."

She sighed.

"I know... I just don't want Nori or her family to get hurt because of this."

"I'm just worried 'bout... About Nori." Said Emi quietly.

"Her dad's been real strict... Damn... Very strict with'er... With her... This's hard."

Eiji grinned. "I take it Nori has started giving you lessons?"

She nodded tiredly.

"Damn right... The woman's a word Nazi from hell... Oh, sorry 'bout that, I was meanin' 'grammar' Nazi."

She sighed.

"Nah... But I really do... Appreciate it."

Hiro could see she was trying really hard.

She gave a sharp nod.

"Alright then, what about Nori? You were saying something..."

"Oh yeah!" She exclaimed.

She started whispering again.

"I found out some a the... Some 'of' the craziest Stuff you'd... You have ever seen. I saw her 'n... Dammit. Her and her dad after Freya left. A total change up. He'd started yellin'... Fuck. Yelling at her... And... He said somethin'... Shit! Something... about a ritual tonight... That's what he said. She looked up at me. It was like she knew... Like she knew I was there. I'm tellin' ya... God dammit! Fuck! I'm... Telling you... It's bad. There's... Something... Ha! There's something goin'... Fuck, FUCK! DAMMIT! I THOUGHT I HAD IT!...Shit sorry. Anyhow... Fuck, I'm givin' up for now. Nori's in some serious shit! I'm thinkin' her dad's been possessed. Now... Don't be thinkin' it's cause I hate'im... Which I do... But dammit, I'm not tellin' I swear! Somethin's wrong... It's in his eyes! They were flashin' all sorts a trouble! He ain't no regular captor either. He really knocks'er around... And I think she's scared... She does protect them kids though... They don't see a lick a that! They don't treat her to well either."

Hiro shook her head.

 _Well... She tried._

She sighed. "Well, that means we're going to have to help Nori, before things get out of hand. However, we can't help anyone with anything until after the trial. We have to make sure ChiKaKū plays Goliath well, or we'll all be under suspicion."

Emi nodded. "Yeah... I never thought I'd be strung up by devil scorned, god worshippers... Well, there's a first for that, 'n everything else... I guess. If shit go's down, some bitches be dyin' today. Cause I ain't."

Hiro gaped at her.

"Wait! Hold on there! Who said anything about dying!? ChiKaKū might pull through!"

Emi laughed. "Right... He ain't the kind to fib or tell. This ain't gonna work... I'm ready when yer ready."

She became nervous.

"I just hope this time is different... For once."

They looked over to see Eiji trying to reach under the armadillo.

Hiro gave him a side glance.

"Eiji? What are you doing?"

"My back itches! This armadillo... It's horrible!"

The little pink armadillo started to cry softly.

Eiji felt his heart twist.

He pet the armadillo's head.

"I'm sorry Neon... I didn't mean it."

Emi gave the world's biggest derp face.

"You named it!? WHY!?"

"That is SOOO adorable!" Hiro gushed.

She cuddled the pink back leech known as Neon.

"You are so cute! Yes you are! Yes! You're the cute one!"

It gave a happy 'Squee' as Hiro cuddled and pet it.

She gave Eiji a warm hug.

"Neon's an awesome name..."

Eiji hugged her, and smiled.

 _This thing is BAD luck!? No way! Hiro love's Neon!_

 _...And she gives really nice hugs._

Eiji sighed happily.

"Yeah... I think so too."

Eiji felt a pang of...

Danger.

It was directly related to Max.

Hiro looked at him.

"Eiji... You're getting that look again. Something's wrong, isn't it?"

He looked nervously at Sora and Uwayaku-Kuhn, then at a dark corner of the forest.

He sighed. "The trial is about to start, but I think Max might be in danger."

She froze.

"What...? Eiji, we have to find him!"

Eiji felt a pit in his stomach.

"Wait! Hiro, no... You can't go."

Emi gaped.

"Bullshit, she can't go! That's Max! She's gotta go!"

Eiji shook his head.

"No. For one thing, Hiro has to stay for the trial. They would notice if more than one person left. I also think this is a trap to lure Hiro out. If I go, I could possibly help Max."

Hiro sighed. "Eiji, as much as I love Neon? Right now you shouldn't go looking for trouble. If you go alone, that bad luck will kick in for sure."

Eiji looked at Emi.

"Can you come with me then? And bring Fred too... I don't think they'd notice if it was you and a Leviathan. You aren't really connected to the trial, and I think they think Leviathan's are Goliath's angels or something."

Emi nodded.

"Alright Eiji... I hope this ain't too hairy of a fix."

The three of them snuck out of the trial meeting, and into the dark forest.

They heard a painful cry in the distance.

They saw Niku, holding Max close to a void hole.

It was like pieces of the wall had scattered, and formed little bubbles.

Max was in a more solid form, and brutally beaten.

There was a female sorceress with him.

Emi froze.

"That's... That's Amaya."

"I'll ask you one more time... Where is the seed portal!? You know what I mean... There is one that takes you directly to the center. No more FUCKING AROUND!"

Max let out a painful cough, and laughed bitterly. His form was like a shadow, but almost...

Almost like any of them.

"Like I'd tell you fucking anything... If I make it out of this alive... I will devour you, and send you into a slow and painful half death. And if I don't catch you, and if I ever hear that you've so much as touched a hair on Hiro's head... I will hurt you in the most painful way I can come up with. Go ahead... Try me. I'll destroy you."

The woman smiled maliciously.

"Well... That is unfortunate... It's a shame really."

She sent red pulses through his body, and he let out horrible and blood curdling screams as a large bone from his leg shot out of his body.

Eiji's eyes widened, his empathic side kicking in.

Niku looked over, and his eyes widened.

"It's the boy! He's the one with the bright pink armadillo! Not hard to miss..."

Amaya looked over at them.

She had pristine looking blue eyes, strawberry blonde hair, and a perfect figure. She would be beautiful, if not for the sneer that marred her face.

She laughed.

"Oh! Hi Em! How's life been? Still swimming in mud, and taking names?"

A look of hurt flashed in Emi's eyes. It was quickly replaced with a calm anger.

"Let go of Max Amaya. I promise that I'll hurt ya if ya don't."

She gave an innocent mocking grin.

"You wouldn't hit a lady... Would you?"

"Ya ain't no LADY!" She barked.

"Yer a COW! A lyin' two timin' backstabbin' COW! FUCK YOU!"

Niku grinned.

Yes... And you're the most stellar example, right? How's the brothel been, whore? Still sore from our last meeting?"

Emi looked away.

"I haven't been in that business for awhile... Ya all know that, so back off."

She readied her dagger.

He laughed.

"Oh! But why!? You were such a good little slut! I get hard just thinking about how I-"

Emi snapped.

"YOU FUCKIN' COCK HOLE FROM HELL! I'LL KILL YOU!"

She lunged at him.

Amaya froze her body, and threw her against the tree behind Eiji.

Fred retaliated, and went for a throat shot at Amaya.

She froze him, and smacked him hard on the ground, then at a tree.

Eiji glared at them.

 _Screw bad luck..._

 _These people need to die._

Eiji shot out his treads...

Amaya froze his muscles, and threw him at a tree.

If Eiji could scream, he would.

He was in agony, his treads hanging out of his body like rigid swords. Neon was...

Neon looked angry.

 _Why do these people want to hurt you!? I don't understand! You're the nicest person ever!_

 _...Why are they so cruel!?_

 _Eiji... You should run! They'll kill you!_

 _(Oh, hi Neon... Sorry, I can't run away. My friends are in danger.)_

 _But you're in so much pain! You can't move can you...?_

 _Hold on, I can dispel it._

Neon dispelled the freezing curse on Eiji.

Both Niku and Amaya were kicking Max on the ground.

Both of his legs were limp, because the bones had been torn out of them.

His eyes gave Eiji this inner feeling of agony.

Eiji became infuriated, and performed the hydra shift.

It wasn't always possible, because Eiji was usually bad at shifts.

He had gained some new found skills in it, and intended to use them.

This hydra could fly, and the wings were on Neon.

Eiji shot up in the air, and let out a massive beam.

It was a holy beam, and would scorn all who were wicked.

Niku and Amaya managed to escape.

 _Eiji! Fly back down! You're tired!_

 _(I... I am tired.)_

Eiji began to plummet to the earth.

...

Everyone saw the beam fall from the sky.

ChiKaKū had made an okay Goliath.

Now was his time to shine.

He gave a mischievous grin.

"THAT WAS MY... SMITEFUL... WRATH! YES! THAT'S IT! MY WRATH! THESE PEOPLE ARE INNOCENT! I DECREE IT IN THE NAME OF... WELL... ME!"

Kaihn gave a defeated sigh.

"Why didn't he just do that in the first place?"

Freya nodded.

"I know right? This guys brain is a pea, incased in a thick wall of vines."

Kaihn looked at her...

 _Holy hot heaven! She's really hot!_

 _I mean HOT!_

 _Damn... Just..._

 _Damn._

Kaihn became extremely red, his face was nervous.

 _Stop. What are you thinking!?_

 _No._

 _Stop asking for things you don't deserve._

"Um... Hi... Have we...?"

Kaihn looked over, and saw Hiro running into the forest.

"What!? What is she doing!?"

Freya looked where Kaihn was looking.

"I guess we follow her."

The town was too busy repenting to notice anyone leave.

Sora and Uwayaku-Kuhn followed them, as well as Boh, Onna, and the other Leviathan's.

...

Hiro ran blindly into the scene.

She had wondered why she couldn't hear Max for a while.

She ran, and saw that Eiji had fallen to the ground.

He was halfway dug into the dirt, and Neon had formed a protective pink shell around him.

Emi and Fred were motionless...

And Max...

"MAX! What happened!?"

She ran up to him.

She looked at him. He looked different.

She didn't care. Right now she was only concerned with his legs...

They had been torn apart, and there were bones strewn across the ground.

She held him and sobbed.

"Max... Please say something! Please! MAX!"

 _(Hiro... Please don't cry... I'm okay. Just get me to a healer please.)_

 _Max... I'm sorry! I'm sorry! Please forgive me! I never want to see you in that much pain!_

 _(No... Please, I'm begging you! Don't apologize to me! I allowed you to be put in danger, because of my own foolish feelings!)_

 _You mean Shinjitsu? No one blames you for that._

 _(I love you Hiro...)_

 _I love you too._

 _(I mean... I'm really inlove with you. You love Eiji, not me.)_

Hiro stopped.

That's what it was.

She had never considered that a possibility.

The others ran up to them.

Sora ran up to Eiji, Emi, and Fred.

She had concocted a warming serum. Hiro knew this, because she had seen Shisuta do it.

Uwayaku-kuhn and Kaihn ran up to her with Freya and the Leviathan's.

Boh and Onna were lifting Eiji and Neon out of the ground.

Neon turned back into an armadillo, and began crying.

"Holy hell!" Freya exclaimed.

Kaihn cringed. "That looks bad..."

The Leviathan's surrounded him, and they all began healing him.

They all showered him in hugs as he sat up.

"Max... Are you alright? You look..."

Max looked at his a hands.

Hands!?

He jumped.

"I'm mortal! What the!? No! NO!"

Max looked the same age as Hiro. He had white hair with blue streaks, eyes that resembled light shining through the leaves of trees, a sky blue ring in the center.

He continued staring at his hands.

"What is this...?"

They all jumped as a voice echoed in they're minds.

 _"Ever since I started playing with my new dolls, I started watching their other doll friends. You guys are making things pretty interesting... Bye! Enjoy mortality!"_

The seed mind had a thought. And kept it to itself.

"Max... No one understands you, my little doll. I wish you were real, so I could talk to you. Can't you see...? Can't ANY of you SEE!? You're always complaining about how I dress you... Always mad at ME! All I want is for you to be happy! Is that so wrong...? Max... This way you can win Hiro's heart, but you're just MAD AT ME! I SHOULD KILL YOU ALL!"

She sobbed.

"No... No! I could never... I could never kill you! These dolls... They're my friends... All my friends... So many friends..."

And with that? She fell asleep again.


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11: Living in the Dark

Shisuta had figured out a way of seeing.

Well, it wasn't her who was seeing. Karo was seeing, but she was seeing through him.

She was able to help them discover certain aspects of the maze they were in.

The light source was in the center of the maze, and the maze itself was an orb. They had been wandering in a giant, gravitationaly weird globe that was only escapable through the central light which was most likely a portal.

The problem was that the gravitational pull was away from the center.

This puzzled Shisuta, because this was usually the opposite of how gravity worked.

 _I wonder why it pushes away... Most gravitational forces pull toward the central point, not push away._

 _(You'd know more about it than I do. You weren't there then, but Kuhn tried to fly us up. We flew near the orb, then fell to the other side of it.)_

 _That IS interesting._

 _HOLD ON!_

 _Like a planet... Yes!_

 _Like a reversed planet, or a planet inverted. I have to wonder if your world is closer to us than expected. I took some time with the well upon receiving it, and studied the earth and other planet structures._

 _A planet is a solid orb that pulls toward the center as a gravitational pull._

 _What you're in is a hollow sphere that pushes gravity to the walls. The exact opposite._

 _We are also in a mirror-verse of sorts, so my guess is that you'll find us when you escape._

He relayed the information to Kuhn.

"I guess that makes sense." He said.

"How will this help with our escaping though? We've already tried flying up there."

Karo sighed. "Well we have to escape, I don't know how, but we have to."

Kuhn gave him a flat look.

"Brilliant Karo, let's just wing it."

They were both exhausted, and frustrated from the near constant movement.

Shisuta was also frustrated, because without Karo, she was blind.

It was very frustrating having to learn how to walk and move around without eyes. Fighting was out off the question for a while too.

She felt completely useless on her own, especially without the well.

Especially because Kuhn had assumed she was finished planning.

 _Fuck really!? Does Kuhn want my help or not!? I swear, one more sarcastic remark and I will... Wait..._

 _YOU will strangle him!_

 _(ME!? Why me!?)_

 _Because I cannot! Because I desperately want to, but I am only eyes here!_

 _Choke him for me Karo, choke him with his own wings..._

 _(That's pretty brutal Shisuta... I don't know...)_

 _Fine then, but he had better watch his wings when I get a hold of him!_

 _...I am sorry, I get a little... Well, insane sometimes._

 _(Don't worry, that's part of the draw love.)_

She could feel him smiling.

She smiled softly.

 _How you can handle someone as high maintenance as me? I will never know..._

 _(I really don't mind... How are your eyes feeling? Are they still hurting?)_

 _Not really... It is not... Well not badly. Don't worry about me._

 _(Shisuta, I just checked. You're still in a lot of pain... You should rest. Please don't overdo it.)_

 _It really is wonderful that you want to protect me... But Karo, you are my eyes._

 _This way I can spend time with you._

 _...God... The darkness... It is so... Maddening!_

 _Please! No!_

 _DON'T MAKE ME GO BACK!_

 _Sorry... I am really sorry... I didn't mean for you to hear that._

 _(Shisuta... You don't have to go. What's happening to you and Haruka? Are you okay?)_

 _Yes, but the sounds of the night are completely horrifying. Karo... Darkness is like a different world._

 _Well, we are in a different world, but that doesn't change my point._

 _When you can hear what you cannot see, it is absolutely petrifying..._

 _That laughter... What are they?_

 _(I don't know... I wish I were with you... I would hold you at night, and make sure you knew you were safe.)_

 _I certainly hope you would do more than hold me karo... I've needed your... Attention._

 _(Attention...? I see how it is!... Your ears are more sensitive since you've lost your sight. I wonder if your skin is more sensitive...? If I could just make you feel what I was imagining...)_

 _Mmmm... That sounds-_

"No! No brain porn!" Haruka exclaimed.

"I've seen karo do it! So no! No brain porn."

Shisuta was back into her reality.

She scoffed.

"Just let me have my brain porn, and look away! It is not as if you can read my mind."

Another wave of pain shot through Shisuta's eyes.

She stifled a painful cry.

"Your eyes still bothering you?" She asked.

Shisuta nodded. "Yes... They are. It has become quite excruciating actually."

Haruka sighed. "I'm sorry... Do you want me to give you more of that medicine? You know, the one that you taught me to make? I'm just surprised you could do it blind, and off of my descriptions."

Shisuta grinned.

"Practice makes perfect. Perfection... It is alchemical science! One must have a mind to master it, and sharp eyes to... Oh..."

Shisuta's breath was shaking.

"I will never be able to make my own potions again... I cannot work an altar blind!"

She burst into tears.

Haruka sat next to her on the bed Shisuta was in.

She wrapped her in a hug.

"We'll figure it out. You may learn to feel and hear what you can't see."

Shisuta nodded slowly.

"Okay... Maybe you are right."

She smiled.

"When I get my sight back, I might just scavenge that maze Karo and Kuhn are in, if that's possible. I saw some exploding mushrooms in there, large enough to incinerate..."

She stopped.

"To incinerate an indestructible wall! That's it! The walls!"

"What!? What are you talking about!?" Haruka asked nervously.

"You know what happens when you decide to blow things up! It's always more than you expect!"

Shisuta gave a gleeful giggle.

"I know! Isn't it grand!?"

 _(Shisuta... I know that sound. That laughter... You're up to something.)_

 _Yes, yes I am..._

 _(Mind telling me what it is?)_

 _KARO! THE MUSHROOMS! BLOW THEM UP!_

 _(WHAT!? Why!? That's really crazy! You'll kill us all!)_

 _Don't be ridiculous! Explosives aren't dangerous if you handle them correctly!_

 _Just make sure not to drop these ones..._

 _Or brush against the bristles..._

 _And don't let the cap bump against the walls..._

 _Oh! And also-_

 _(That's not a good idea.)_

 _Nonsense! it's fantastic!_

 _Karo, if you blow a hole through the wall, there will be a powerful current that plunges you both into the central planet._

 _Yes! The inverse gravity calls for inverse space matter!_

 _It won't be a vacuum, but a powerful wind current!_

 _(Damn... You know that might actually work. Why does it have to be an explosion though...?)_

 _Why!? It should most definitely be AN EXPLOSION! There is no other solution! Blow up the wall... Do it, not only because you need to escape..._

 _Because it is an impenetrable wall, and I want to see it crumble._

 _Because it is a giant mushroom, and it must die._

 _It must die, in the name... OF ALCHEMICAL SCIENCE!_

 _And because... BECAUSE YOU WILL DO IT! BECAUSE I SAID SO!_

 _YES! MWAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAA!_

 _DIE WALL... DIIIIIIEE!_

 _(...Hmm... Um... ... ...No?)_

 _Karo... Please?_

 _(Shisuta...)_

 _Pretty please, with 'I will withold sex if you don't' on top?_

 _(Are you sure...? Can you really pull that off? Really?)_

 _Um... Y-_

 _\Karo... Karo please... Don't stop...\_

 _Shhh! Quiet brain! He will hear you!_

She could feel his amusement.

 _(Have fun with that... I kind of liked that fantasy though...)_

 _Fine. You have got me there..._

 _But it really is a big enough mushroom to destroy some of that wall..._

 _And it really is looking like your only option._

 _(What, really? Ugghnn... Fine. I'll blow up the mushroom.)_

 _Yay! Thank you..._

 _(Yeah, yeah...)_

He told Kuhn about the plan.

Kuhn grinned.

"Now that's one hell of an escape!"

He faltered.

"It's just that... Well, I don't want die. How will we survive such a huge explosion!?"

 _He will have to fly. With his skills, it is a fifty fifty chance of survival._

 _Good luck._

 _(What!? Oh shit...)_

"Kuhn, you're going to have to fly."

He hung his head.

"We're doomed... We're all going to die."

Karo gave him a flat look.

"Huh... Now I know where Hiro get's it from."

Kuhn looked at him.

"Huh? What?"

"Um! I said, that's our only option." He said, covering his snide remake.

Kuhn sighed. "I guess so... Well? Get a mushroom then."

 _(Shisuta! How do I handle the mushroom!? I'd rather not blow us up!)_

 _Just... Hold it at the base. Once you extract it, it will immediately become explosive. It's a different breed, with the explosive enzymes active in the cap. When the mushrooms are picked, they can go off at the slightest mistake._

 _...Karo, now I am getting scared._

 _Be careful, and whatever you do, don't touch the cap._

 _(You!? Scared about an explosion!? Oh god... This is going to be colossal!)_

"It's going to be a big explosion, so we need to fly high and fast. We can't let the cap of one of those mushrooms touch anything once it's picked, or it'll go off."

Kuhn nodded. "I'll try my best."

...

Linn was looking after Haku and Chihiro.

Their conditions were more stable, but they weren't really conscious yet.

All Linn could manage, was to keep them warm and fed.

She had to feed them, and make sure all of the food and water went down right.

She held her stomach.

She sighed heavily.

"If it weren't for you two...? Where would I be..."

She teared up as she remembered her time at the bathhouse.

 _I always complained about the drama Haku caused._

 _I practically harassed him before I met Chihiro, talking about how he was no good._

 _A thief._

 _A henchman, content with doing Yubaba's dirty work._

 _I was wrong..._

 _If it weren't for him finding Chihiro, and everything that happened after..._

 _I would have never met Kuhn._

 _If it weren't for me meeting Kuhn? I would have died in the tainted raid, or be forever changed into a monster._

 _If it weren't for Haku now?_

 _One of my children would be dead._

She sobbed.

"And all I ever did was moan dammit! Moan and complain!"

She began to cry softly.

"I'm sorry... Please... I hope you don't hate me."

Haku sighed softly.

"I never hated you..."

She jumped.

"You're awake!? Thank god! Damn... I was starting to get worried."

She looked over at Chihiro.

"I hope she wakes up soon..."

Haku tried to sit, but felt dizzy.

He lied back down.

He was lying on one of the blankets they had packed.

...

I looked at Linn.

She looked very worn, and extremely worried.

She probably hasn't rested much since we passed out.

"Linn? How long have we been here?" I asked.

"Just a day." She said.

"Not to long... That's good. I was afraid you might not wake up."

I turned my head and looked at Chihiro.

I sighed. "Chihiro... Is she okay...?"

Linn nodded. "I'm sure she'll be fine. I made sure you were both fed and given water, kept warm, and all of that. She'll be okay."

I nodded sleepily.

"Alright then..."

I felt myself doze off again... Finding peace in the warmth of this seemingly real sunlight.


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12: Eyes Open, The Blind Chase

Katsu was on his way back to the palace. He messed up royally, and he knew it.

He grew nervous, and sat, leaning his back against an old oak tree.

He sighed.

"There's no way... She'll never forgive me! She shouldn't..."

He held his head in his hands.

"Dammit! I just... I changed. Loki, you're perfect! Forget what I said!... Fuck me... She'll never forget that. Why would I tell her that!? Loki... I'm sorry... I'm sorry I got scared, and ran like a coward."

He teared up.

"I don't know... I don't know if I can make things right with her. She became so strong, and I wasn't there... I figured she would leave me... I was scared... Why did I do that? Loki... I hope you listen to me, though I know you might not, and you'd have every right not to. I'd make it up to you... I'd do anything. I'll prove it, anything."

He stood, and shook his head.

"Come on Katsu, just move. You won't accomplish anything just sitting here."

He walked toward the palace...

It was gone.

It was past gone. There was a black wall that seemed to span across the north border, and way past the Warrior's and the palace. There was a small camp near the edge of the wall.

Tojin was there, with Tira, and a few others.

Katsu approached them.

Tojin stood.

"Katsu!?... Oh shit..."

Katsu felt a pit form in his stomach.

"What happened here...?" He asked softly.

Tojin looked down, and said nothing.

Tira sighed sadly.

"This big wall, that's what. It swallowed everything... Even Loki, and the others."

Katsu froze.

"N-No... Loki? Not Loki... Dammit... DAMMIT! NO!"

He ran toward the wall.

Tojin and the others held him back.

"What are you doing!?" He exclaimed.

"You'll just end up dead! Are you crazy!?"

He tried to pull away.

"No! What if she's not dead!? She can't be, she's Loki!"

He fell to his knees, eyes wide, and tears flowing down them.

His expression was blank, but there was a definite pain carved in his features.

"Damn... This sucks." Said Tojin sadly.

"She would have really liked to see you again."

Katsu stared ahead, at the menacing black wall.

...It flashed.

It flashed purple, like the color of...

"A rift..." He whispered.

"What?" Tojin asked.

It was a rift. It was like the rift he had fell into, that plunged him into the lowest plain.

He remembered it well.

It continued to flash.

Katsu broke free of the others, and ran at the wall.

 _If I run in at the wrong time, I die. If I run in at the right time, I might find Loki... Or I might die. No pressure._

He ran toward the flashing purple rift, and plunged himself into the wall.

...

Loki and Junichi were stuck in yet another sand pit.

"Dammit!" Loki exclaimed.

"We worked so fucking hard to get this far out, and this shit happens again!? Fuck me! Why do we even try climbing!?"

Junichi sighed.

"Because the portal is at the top of the pyramid, and we are below it... That's bad."

Loki scoffed.

"Yeah... It's definitely bad. What's your next inquiry, captain obvious!?"

He laughed. "Well? Hmm... This place is made of sand, we're being swallowed by a sand pit, and you're cup size is a double D... No, wait... They're larger... May I just call them my watermelons?"

She rolled her eyes.

"They're my watermelons, and..."

She caught on.

"Hey! These aren't watermelons!? You're such a perv! They're specifically made to feed children!"

She turned away from him.

"The things I have to put up with, being stuck in a sand pit with you..."

Junichi grinned. "May I have a taste? I'm sure they manage to feed lust just as well."

He laughed. "Don't look now, but your ships are sinking... You may want to hold your breath."

She glared at him.

"Oh... Just, fuck you! I'll show you ships sinking when I rip your-!"

She didn't get to finish that sentence, because they were completely swallowed by the sand.

They were spit out, and plunged below the place they started.

They looked around...

They both gave a heavy sigh.

"God dammit..."

There was a growling in the room.

Something low and dark...

"What was that!?" Loki exclaimed.

She readied her obsidian daggers, ready for the threat.

Shadows and vines shot across the floor, wrapping around their legs.

A low rhythmic growling filled the air, rumbling in their chest's.

A plant like carnivore snaked over to Loki...

It opened it's mouth to reveal two sets of teeth.

Loki cringed.

 _I need to be small..._

 _I need to get away!_

 _Go AWAY!_

Loki shifted into a parrot.

"WHAT!? SQUAK!"

Junichi couldn't help but laugh.

"I figured you for a parrot!"

He stopped.

"Hold on... That's Linn's shift! God... What's happened to her!?"

The creature was snaking around, trying to swallow a bite sized Loki parrot.

 _Shit! This isn't working anymore!_

 _Unshift!_

 _UNSHIFT!_

She shifted again, this time it was a black cockatrice.

She darted around the room, confused as to what to do.

Loki could handle demons.

Loki could kill anything with just two obsidian daggers and her own skills, provided she wasn't tied up.

Loki had a much harder time fighting with all of these shifts.

 _Dammit!_

 _I said UNSHIFT!_

She shifted into Haku's river dragon.

 _DAMMIT!_

 _Unshift!... Please?_

The beast began to focus on Junichi.

"Oh shit... A little help here!?"

She shifted into a horned Pegasus.

 _Oh well, at least it has a sharp horn._

She plunged the horn into the side of it's head, and it let out a loud scream.

It shook her off and grabbed her, crushing her front legs and a back leg.

So both arms and a leg... And no healers.

They were as good as dead.

Someone ran into the room, distracting it for a moment.

The shaded figure jumped on the beasts back, and held a shotgun to it's back...

A shotgun!?

He blew a hole through it's back, and jumped up on it's head, firing two more rounds into it's skull.

It melted away, releasing both Loki and Junichi.

She saw Katsu leaning over her.

"Loki!? Loki! Holy shit! Your really... Damn. That looks painful."

"K...Katsu?"

He nodded.

She used her one good leg to smack him to the ground, and beat the hell out of him.

"You SUCK!" She screamed.

"I don't care if I'm broken! I can STILL KICK YOUR ASS!"

And she could...

And she did.

Katsu laughed.

"Still tough as nails... That's it. You can hit me again if you want... Just don't hurt yourself."

She teared up.

"Damn you... Why do you have to do that!?"

He wrapped her in a hug, trying not to hurt her.

She sobbed. "Why did you leave? That really hurt..."

He pressed soft kisses to her head.

"I know... I'm sorry... Never again Loki. I'll never do that to you again, I promise."

Junichi gave an inner cringe.

 _Damn... She really fucked him up!_

 _But..._

His face fell.

 _He comes back, and she runs into his arms..._

 _Shut up! All you did was harass her!_

 _That was because I didn't want to face myself, or her._

 _Then you're a coward..._

 _Yes, I'm a coward... So?_

 _So stop! Stop getting these foolish feelings! It's not like you to get so worked up over one piece of-_

 _Now YOU SHUT UP!_

 _SHE'S MORE THAN THAT!_

 _And you've shown that!?_

 _Tell me again... How big are those watermelons?_

 _Yes... I said that didn't I?_

 _I might just want to hold my tongue._

 _Asshole._

Junichi sighed.

"Thanks friend, you really saved our lives back there."

Katsu gave him a nod.

"It was no problem, really."

 _Running in to save the day like some valiant knight?_

 _What the hell..._

He stood.

No time for this, Junichi would have to brood over this later.

This room continued to give him an uneasy feeling.

"We should move." He said.

"This room still feels like it could kill us... Katsu, you should carry Loki. We need to climb up, and avoid any sand pits. They swallow you, and drag you deeper below the pyramid."

Katsu lifted her up.

"We're in a pyramid? Well, that explains the sand..."

Junichi nodded. "Yes a pyramid. There's a light at the top, and we think there's a portal up there."

Loki nodded. "Yes, I'm sure there's a portal... To think we almost made it."

Junichi grabbed hold of the vines.

He looked at Katsu.

He stepped down.

"Ladies first! I mean Loki of course..."

Katsu shook his head.

"Yeah... That's what you meant. Sure."

They all began climbing up the wall.

Despite the fact that he was carrying Loki, he could move up the wall fairly fast.

Faster than Junichi.

Junichi looked at the vines ten feet above him...

Challenge accepted.

He began using his momentum to throw himself above Katsu...

Katsu pushed up with his legs, and practically ran up the wall.

Loki would have said something about both of them being pigheaded dumbasses... But this was progress.

Finally! No more sand pit's! Let them have their stupid contest, as long as they all got out alive.

For now... Loki would whip them both later.

Stupid fools.

"I'm going to win!" Katsu laughed.

"So slow down, before you get tired and need your cane!"

Junichi jumped above his head, and ran backwards ahead of Katsu, facing him.

He grinned.

"Age isn't always bad! I know tricks you couldn't dream of!"

He made a tongue licking motion, and continued to run up the wall.

Katsu fumed.

"You asshole! I'll-!"

"Shut the FUCK UP, BOTH OF YOU!" Loki growled.

She grabbed Katsu and Junichi with her teeth, jumping up the wall at incredible speeds with only one leg.

She dragged them both through sand pits, and reached the top of the portal.

They shot through a tunnel, and into a...

A maze.

A fully rounded planet sized maze.

They saw Karo and Kuhn as they smashed face first into a giant mushroom against a wall.

They all bounced back.

"Oh shit!" Karo yelled.

Kuhn dragged everyone back, and readied his wings...

Nothing.

He scratched his head.

"Huh... I guess it didn't-"

There was a large and ground shaking explosion, Kuhn grabbed everyone, and Karo made sure no one fell.

A large blast of wind shot them into the next portal.

They all screamed as they barely missed the fiery explosion of ultimate doom.

They landed in hot snow.

"Well, that's one way to detonate a mushroom." Said Karo, brushing the scorching snow off of him.

He stopped, as if he were listening to someone.

Loki was about to look skyward.

Karo covered her eyes.

"Everyone keep your eyes on the ground!" He exclaimed.

"Shisuta went blind from looking up..."

They all looked down.

Loki looked at him.

"Thanks... I'd hate to be blind."

She collapsed to the ground.

Katsu picked her up.

The snow burnt his hands.

"Ow!... Well, I definitely don't want you falling in that."

They all looked at her.

Kuhn sighed.

"I do have some healing magic now... Everyone has switched around abilities... But I don't think anyone has shifts anymore."

Loki sighed.

"Sorry, my bad... Those are mine now. All of them. It's a real pain in the ass, actually."

Junichi nodded.

"Yes, it's true. When she started shifting, she couldn't control it. Much like me, Loki doesn't shift... Well, she didn't until now. Now she's stuck with an overload of shifts, and-"

Multiple beings approached them.

There was one that looked like Kuhn, one that looked like a warped Haruka, and another that was a pig nosed Chihiro with backward feet and a twisted torso.

"Everyone be quiet." Karo whispered.

They all began twitching.

Loki looked at them.

She new she had to stay quiet, But this was all so...

Funny.

She burst out into laughter.

"I'm sorry!" She exclaimed.

"But look at them! They're twitching! And Chihiro has a PIG NOSE! LOOK AT HER FEET!"

They all began to break and twitch, laugh crying, and writhing in their own flesh.

Loki laughed louder.

"What are they doing!? Oh god! I'm crying! I can't stop laughing! This is great!"

They all died, and melted into puddles.

Shisuta fumed in Karo's head.

 _Are you SERIOUS!? LAUGHING!?_

 _Laughter kills them, unbelievable..._

 _All I had to do was laugh?_

 _Ah hell..._

 _(Well... Holy shit. That worked.)_

Katsu laughed with her.

"Damn, that's weak! You just laughed, and they died!"

Loki sighed.

"That was awesome. Now let's all not look at the sky..."

Junichi nodded.

"Sounds like a plan."

Karo sighed.

"Well, Shisuta and Haruka are here. Haruka switched the hive mind with Shisuta, so I'm connected to her. They're just up ahead, in a wooden cabin... Everything is different here, so the fireplace makes the house colder."

Junichi shook his head.

"That's just odd... This place is kind of backward."

Karo nodded.

"It is, it's a mirror verse."

Junichi's eyes widened.

If it wasn't a puzzle or a trap, then...

His eye's widened.

"You mean..."

Karo looked down.

"Yep... No portal."

Well... That changes things.


	13. Chapter 13

****Depression sucks. I'm very sorry it has taken so long to write again... I've needed to work out some stuff before I could write again. I hope you will all keep reading, and thank you for your patience.**

 **Enjoy Chapter 13! :)****

Chapter 13: The Solo Mission, The Cat's Eye

Everyone was fairly shell shocked by the recent events.

Max strayed away from everything and everyone.

Uwayaku-kuhn and Sora were busy helping Hiro with training.

Uwayaku-kuhn was a blood syphoner, and could administer some level of training. He came to the conclusion that she may need the trainer on the blood roads, and himself, to be able to succeed in blood magic.

She was definitely a hard one to train, because they both ended up distracted, looking off at clouds and birds.

Who knows what else?

Boh and Onna were spending most of their time chatting, or in their large tent.

Nori had stayed indoors, and hadn't been outside since the trials that morning.

Kaihn sat under the shade of trees, staring forlornly at Freya. She was looking for Emi, and Kaihn would instantly look away when she saw him.

He would fiddle with his hands, and pretend nothing happened.

Emi?

Well, no one really knew where she was.

Most assumed she was permissively stalking Nori again...

Eiji was worried.

He had been with her when Niku had openly admitted what he did to her. Fred had been there too, but he was with Emi.

He insisted that he stay by her side, just in case they showed back up.

Eiji sighed.

"This is a mess..."

Neon mumbled nervously on his back.

 _(Yeah... It's pretty bad. I wonder if Hiro's okay? You know, when she stopped training, she looked really sad and down... She hides it from you, and everyone else. I can see it, because you turn your back... And I am Neon, attached to your back! It's lightning fast! Like a set of eyes... Except... I'm looking forward most of the time... But still! I can subtly look behind me, and WHAM! Eyes in the back of your head!)_

Eiji smiled.

 _You really are adorable..._

 _No really._

 _That was freaking adorable!_

 _But... Hiro?_

He became worried.

 _I really hope she's okay... This can't be easy. Any of it._

 _We're all pretty shaken up by this, but Hiro has to be pretty confused._

 _...Besides, it's no secret she gets depressed. I should go find her._

He stood from the log he was sitting on, and found Hiro sitting under a tree alone.

He walked over, and sat down next to her.

"How are you?" He asked.

She smiled.

"I'm doing good! Just trained some today, and I feel-"

Eiji sighed.

"Hiro, please be honest... What's going on? You've been sad since this morning. Are you okay?"

She nodded.

"I'm really fine."

There was a hint of defensiveness in her voice.

Eiji looked at her.

Then he looked down.

"Alright, you don't have to tell me."

"I already told you! I'm fine! So drop it!" She snapped.

Eiji stopped.

What was going on?

Eiji became nervous.

"I-If it was something I did... Please tell me."

She looked away uncomfortably.

"It's not about you, so stop blaming yourself, and... Just go away."

Just go away?

Really...?

Eiji stood.

"Alright... Sorry I brought it up."

He walked away.

...

Emi was with Fred, hiding in the vents in Nori's house.

Her dad had left to get supplies for this ritual they were doing later tonight.

Nori sat down in a chair, and held her head in her hands.

She looked around nervously for a moment, and checked her sister's rooms, and the other rooms at least twice.

She sighed, but remained tense.

"You can come down, Emika."

Nori had started using Emi's full name, because she said it was much more pretty than Emi, and certainly more lady-like.

Emi hopped down, one of her auburn dreadlocks catching on the metal frame of the vent opening.

"Fuck all MIGHTY! YA STUPID VENT MOTHER OF'A WHORE!"

Fred detached her matted hair from the vent.

She pulled it back into it's loose ponytail.

"Aw shit! That fuckin'... Fuck sorry. That really... Hurt."

Nori sighed.

"I'm going to have to teach you better adjectives, so you stop resorting to that rabble you call speech."

Emi scratched her head.

"I'm not sure what yer objectives have to do with this? Ah well..."

Nori lifted a finger.

"Emika! Tell me what was wrong with that sentence!"

Emi hung her head.

"I did't again, didn't I? It's useless Nori, Im'a complete failure..."

Nori's features softened.

"No... I will make sure you become literate. You have done what you need to so far on your end... It's me who has been slacking."

Emi scoffed. "Pft! No way! All you've been doin'... Doing is work. Now there's this ritual, and it's lookin', shit!... Looking like you need to get you and yer... Hold on... You're... You're sisters need to leave with you. Yeah, that's it. This is trouble if I ever... If I've ever saw it!... Seen it. Fuck, can I just speak? Please?"

Nori nodded.

"I think that may be best now anyway... I don't know how long we have before the ritual."

"What is this anyway?" Emi asked.

"This ritual is scaring you! What's going to happen at the large oak tonight?"

Nori gave a moment to smile to herself.

She'd done it perfectly, and hadn't even realized it.

She remembered the subject they were on, and her face darkened.

"Emika... I have been put in a bad position. This actually put's your friends in a bad position as well. I have been chosen as a sacrifice to Goliath, and this means I will be burned at stake on the oak. The grove of Goliath is not one of gods... Goliath is a demon, and they plan to sacrifice me to him, as an apology for the treachery ChiKaKū has caused."

Emi gaped.

"Ya mean they know!? They knew all along!?"

Nori nodded.

"Yes, though most were fooled at first. The fact that I was chosen by ChiKaKū, makes me a vital sacrifice. Those on the upper council, including my father, have already been changed into demons. my father will not protect me from this... Emika, if I rebel against this sacrifice, they will choose you and your friends as penance! They will also hold my sisters for slaughter... I can't let that happen."

Emi looked at her.

"If you think for one damn second that I'm gonna let ya get tossed up to some demon, then yer outta yer damn mind! There's no way I'm-!"

"Don't be stupid!" Nori snapped.

"If you think that Niku and that sorceress were bad, you're kidding yourself."

Emi froze.

Nori's gaze was piercing, and seemed to stare right into her soul.

"That's right. They hurt you, and it was before you could even blink. You're dealing with an arch demon, so I suggest you don't pick fights. We need to leave secretly and silently, letting Goliath wreak havoc on everyone else that we don't take with us."

She stood tall, the setting sun filled her eyes, which were light brown.

It reminded Emi of fresh coffee, were there sun beams shining in it.

"Why is it you insist on helping me Emika? I am doing what's best for the safety of my family, and-"

Emi kissed her.

"Don't do that. You're not dyin'... Not on my watch. And if you're wonderin' why I want to help? There's one answer that works."

Nori blushed, and looked away.

"No. Not going there..."

She sighed.

"Fine, I'll try to evacuate my siblings and your friends... I would appreciate it if you didn't try to use me to help you, besides, I don't like women."

That kind of stung, but Emi was no stranger to rejection.

It sucked, but at least she was honest.

No hard feelings.

Emi shrugged.

"Well, I don't use girls, but I get the point... No problems, okay? I still wanna help you."

She looked at her for a moment, her face red.

She nodded.

"Right then, first we need to-"

Emi saw the large bat smack against Nori's head.

Fred tackled the assailant, and the man threw him off, binding his legs.

Emi went to grab her knife, but the bludgeoning weapon found her as it's next target.

The world went black, and then it became very cold.

...

Eiji sighed solemnly as he poured his heart out to mei.

"I just... Don't get it. What did I do? She's not talking to me, and she's hiding her emotions. Hiro always tells me what's going on..."

Mei laughed softly.

"Well, girls tend to get more moody with those they trust more. It may mean she's justifies more comfortable, and trusts that you won't leave. My guess is, it's more about her than it is about you. I know guys always think about what they did to make this girl mad, and that girl silent... Well, don't. It just stresses you out. She'll tell you when she's ready, you're both great kids!"

Eiji smiled.

Mei always had this way of making everyone's day better.

"Thanks Mei!" He beamed.

"You're really awesome, and Navin is really lucky to have you as a mom!"

She blushed softly.

"Well... I'm not that great! But, thank you anyway."

He smiled. "No problem."

Eiji walked back over to the log.

He looked over at Nori's house, and saw a suspicious looking shadow dragging something off into the woods.

He walked over to the house, and knocked on the door.

Nori's father answered.

"Hello Eiji." He said pleasantly.

"Can I help you?"

Eiji nodded.

"Um, yes sir. I saw some pretty shady things toward the woods. You may want to check it out."

His face froze for a moment...

Then it relaxed.

"Well, why don't you come in, and we'll talk about it."

Eiji instantly caught his bad vibe.

He subtly glanced inside, and saw Fred bound to a wall, completely unconscious.

He glared at him, his threads edging out.

"Where is Emi and Nori? I know you did something... I wouldn't get careless now, these threads can really do some damage."

The man laughed, and slammed Eiji on the ground in his house.

Eiji shot out his threads, and gained control of him.

There was a darkness emanating from his being, and he laughed bloodily giving Eiji a toothy grin.

"I do not... fear death." He coughed.

"For I... Have seen the LIGHT!"

Eiji pulled his threads back as his body lit on fire, and disintegrated into ash.

He went for the door, so he could chase those shadows.

The door was jammed, and he had put a sealing spell on it before he died.

"A flame seal!" Eiji exclaimed.

"B...Behind you." Fred whimpered.

Eiji looked over at Fred.

"Fred! Are you alright!?" He exclaimed.

Fred remained silent. He was feigning unconsciousness.

Eiji looked over nervously, and saw the cutest little white and fluffy kitten.

He sighed.

"I don't suppose you know a way out of here, do you fuz ball?"

It bared it's teeth, and gave him a low and steady growl.

There was a knock to the door.

"Eiji!? Eiji, are you in there!?"

It was Hiro.

"Look, I'm sorry about earlier! What just happened!? We all saw Nori's dad attack you!"

Eiji sighed.

"I don't know, but-"

 _(EIJI LOOK OUT!)_

The cat tackled him to the ground, and began clawing his face.

"Ow! OW!" He yelled.

"Bad KITTY! OFF! GET OFF!"

Eiji threw off the cat, and it spit fire at him.

"Holy SHIT!" He exclaimed.

"What else can the cat do!?"

"Oh no!" Uwayaku-kuhn yelled.

"Eiji! Did the cat cast a spell!?"

"WHAT!?" Hiro exclaimed.

"That's just a weird question..." Said Boh.

"Yes! IT DID!" Eiji screamed.

"How did you know!?"

He sighed.

"It's a demonic cat known as a bakeneko, and it knows sorcery... It will try to kill you."

The cat ripped out a chunk of the floor with it's paws, and hurled it just above Eiji's head.

Eiji rolled out of the way as Neon let out a shrill squeal.

 _(I can't help you shift again today! So we can't shift, and that means YOU TOO!)_

 _What!? REALLY!?_

 _(Yeah... Sorry. Collective power comes with collective limits.)_

 _Dammit..._

They began slamming into the door.

"It won't budge!" Hiro exclaimed.

"There's a fire seal on the house!" Eiji yelled.

"No one comes in or out without breaking that first!"

The cat started throwing ice shards at Eiji, stomping it's feet to the ground.

He tried to shoot out his threads as it held still...

It teleported.

It can teleport too!?

"If it's inside the house, I can't help you!... Sorry." Said Uwayaku-kuhn.

Sora gave a gleeful giggle.

"My, my child! You do have the worst luck!... May I take samples after you're done in there? Perhaps save me some of the fur?"

"Not now mother!" Kaihn exclaimed.

She scoffed.

"Well, you can all sit and go on about trivial matters such as a shamanistic bakeneko! I, however, do not waste time!"

Eiji could feel the Shisuta oozing off of her, as the fluffy white killing machine threw sword claws at his direction.

"I WILL collect my samples! I WILL complete my research! And I will do it all..."

Not this line...

"I will do it all! IN THE NAME OF ALCHEMICAL SCIENCE!"

Yep, that's the one. If the other's situation was ever solved, there would be introductions to be had.

She broke out into fits of maniacal laughter.

Uwayaku-kuhn sighed.

"It's okay, she really does calm down... After an hour or so."

"I certainly hope so." Said Freya flatly.

There was a pause.

"Have you met Shisuta?" Hiro asked.

Eiji laughed. "I know right!? I was just- OH GOD, IT FOUND EXPLOSIVES!"

Eiji rolled out of the way, as small explosion decimated the coffee table.

"Let ME SEE!" Sora exclaimed.

"Eiji! Tell me what explosives the cat is using!"

Eiji sighed.

"Um... It..."

Eiji froze.

It was one of his vials of metallic oxygen.

How it got all the way to this place, Eiji wasn't sure.

He did know that this was the red kind, and it was highly explosive.

One small mistake, and the cat would kill them both.

"What!? NO WAY! OH... FUCK!"

"That bad!?" They all exclaimed.

"THAT BAD!" Eiji screamed.

He calmed down.

"Now, now... Be a good kitty, and put down the red metallic oxygen and blow torch."

"WHAT!?" Sora exclaimed.

"That's... That's INCREDIBLE! WOW!"

Eiji sighed.

"It's really not that hard to make. This is one of my samples... It's pretty potent, and it somehow got all the way here, and in the hands of a demonic cat!"

It let out a low growl, bringing the flame of the blow torch, uncomfortably close to the red metallic oxygen.

"I-I mean! N-N-Nice kitty!"

 _(Eiji... Are we dead?)_

 _Ahh... Well? Maybe._

The kitty turned it's eyes to Neon.

It tackled her, clawing her paws and face.

She let out a painful squeal, and started wailing.

 _(Ow! IT HURTS! DON'T LET IT HURT ME!)_

Eiji felt this feeling kick in.

He grabbed the cat by it's throat.

"Keep your filthy paws OFF OF NEON!"

Eiji continually slammed the cat against the wall.

He threw it to the ground.

It began choking and coughing, mewing painfully.

Eiji froze.

"Oh... Oh god. I think... Oh no! Come here kitty... I'm so sorry!"

"Wait!" Uwayaku-kuhn yelled.

"It's trying to fool you!"

Too late.

Eiji was already cuddling the cat, feeling horrible for having hurt it.

The cat reached it's claws out.

 _(EEEIIIJJJIII!)_

ChiKaKū burst through e roof, breaking the seal by sheer force.

He destroyed the bakeneko.

The force of the entrance shook Fred off of the wall, and onto the ground, heaving in air.

Eiji gave a sigh of relief.

"Thank god you arrived! That cat could glamour too!"

Sora gave a mournful sigh.

"But... No samples? Damn..."

ChiKaKū breathed a heavy sigh, like a giant wind current, blowing Eiji into a wall.

"Ow... That hurt." He mumbled.

"I DID NOT COME TO SAVE YOU, MORTAL BOY." He said.

"EMIKA HAS BEEN CAPTURED, WITH THE ONE KNOWN AS NORI... THEY PLAN TO SACRIFICE HER TO ARCH DEMON GOLIATH. ALSO KNOWN AS THE HELL PRIESTESS... AND NEPHTHYS THE COLD."

Eiji froze.

Nephthys was one that his mother had specifically mentioned.

Eiji thought back to that conversation.

...

 _"Now remember Eiji... Nephthys is a... Eiji! ARE YOU LISTENING!?"_

 _My attention snapped back to my mother._

 _"Yep! I'm listening now!"_

 _She sighed. "Eiji... This is really important. I'm telling you, these guys swoop in out of nowhere, and steal your soul!"_

 _I gave a mournful sigh, wanting to end the demonology session, and practice flying with dad again._

 _"Mom... Um, well... Don't you think that's a little much? There's no demons here!"_

 _She smiled, and her eye twitched._

 _"Eiji? Son? How many times has your mother been wrong?"_

 _My eyes widened, as I stared at the perfected insanity that was my crazy paranoid mother._

 _"Um... N-Never?" I replied shakily._

 _She smiled warmly. "That's right, never. Remember, Nephthys is an arch demon. This means that no matter how she disguises herself, you'll know she's a demon by her sigil. They have to display them, whether it's a tattoo, or a birthmark. She may come across as a healer, but she brings death and destruction. Remember, death, and destruction!"_

 _I nodded. "Right! And... I'm not going to think about that... That sounds creepy. Sorry mom..."_

 _She hung her head._

 _"Eiji... What am I going to do with you?"_

 _I smiled, and wrapped her in a warm hug._

 _"I dunno... I love you mom!"_

 _She held me close, and smiled softly._

 _"You know, you're my sweetest angel in heaven..."_

 _I grinned. "Nuh uh! I'm the fastest!"_

 _We both broke out into laughter, happiness filling our hearts._

 _..._

It turned out that everything his mother had taught him was coming to light.

He stood, grabbing the vial of metallic oxygen, and the blow torch.

"If it's Nephthys, we need to get Emi, Nori, and everyone else out of here! She tends to wreak havoc on an area, so we need to evacuate all of the innocents, and head for the blood roads."

ChiKaKū nodded very slowly, his shedded vines fell onto Eiji's head.

"OW!" He exclaimed.

"I AGREE WITH THE BOY ON THIS ONE... KILLING AN ARCH DEMON IS NOT ON THE TOP OF MY BUCKET LIST... NOR IS IT AT THE BOTTOM. IN FACT?... NOW THAT I THINK ABOUT IT... THAT WILL NEVER BE ON MY BUCKET LIST... NOR WILL IT BE ON A LIST OF SUGGESTIONS THAT MAYBE... MAYBE I COULD ACHIEVE... NOR-"

"Just shut the hell up, and take us where we're going already!" Hiro yelled.

"They aren't going to hold off a sacrifice, because you want to have a damn conversation with the dust!"

ChiKaKū blinked in surprise.

"WHAT AN ILL MANNERED-!"

"Oh, shove it up your ass, Tree beard! Take us there, and be quiet! Your wind currents will make you more noticeable then you already are."

He gave a soft sigh.

"WELL... WHEN YOU PUT IT THAT WAY..."

Boh stifled a fake cough.

"Linn! *Cough, cough!* It's LINN! *Cough!*"

Uwayaku-kuhn sighed.

"Yes... More Linn than I would prefer."

They all got up on ChiKaKū, and gathered the warrior's residents and Leviathan's in the center of town. The once hollowed soldiers of Shinjitsu also followed them. Survival bred and battle hardened, they knew when trouble was a foot. Fred came with the others, but that was because Emi was involved. Max was nowhere to be found, but they were running out of time.

All they could do now is hope the Leviathan's would find him, and that they weren't already too late.


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14: The Golden Smile

Max had wandered off today.

It's not that he didn't intend on returning to Hiro, because he did.

This mortality should have made him more confident, he thought. The truth was, it only made him feel more alienated and alone.

He sat in the shade of a large oak, and sighed.

"Even though I'm beautiful, it still doesn't matter... It will never matter. Face it max, she loves him! She'll never love you!"

He sat there for a while, plagued with this lonesome grief.

A woman with golden blonde curly hair, and a black runic tattoo sat next to him.

She had the most indescribable smoky crimson eyes.

She trailed her index finger under his chin, a seductive smile playing at her lips.

"Why is someone so delicious as you, moping about at my tree... Shouldn't you be swept up in the arms of a lovely girl...? Or perhaps you don't desire a woman's touch."

Her form changed into a man.

She looked quite young, but at least a year or two older than max...

Well, he now.

Max sighed.

"Well... I wish I was with a certain girl, and yes... She is quite lovely."

She changed back.

"I see... So your heart desires another?" She asked.

"Truly then, for my lust does not seem to draw your eyes. Love makes you blind... Yet, blindness is it's own protection."

She lifted a finger.

"However, one shouldn't run into love. For if one is blind, wouldn't one worry more about the narrowness of the path? Both sides surrounded by an endless abyss, yet they are blind to this bridge."

Her eyes became sad.

"Far too many young souls covet what lies at the end of this path, but most find themselves falling from this blind bridge... They are changed, and the next bridge they find would not be as high... Ne'er be it so, for they fell from the first one."

Max stared at her in awe.

"That was very poetic... And I believe you."

She looked at him, as if she were staring into his very soul.

"Who are you, changed one?" She asked.

He sighed. "My name is max. Max the Leviathan... Or, rather I was a Leviathan. Now I'm just Max the mortal... Who are you?"

She smiled. "I am Thysbe... Pray tell, would you be my Pyramus?"

Most in purgatory wouldn't have caught that. Max, like some of the other Leviathan's, had spent centuries observing history.

He shook his head.

"Sorry, I cannot, if it's romance you want... I can't give it to someone that isn't her... Unless you want something else?"

She grinned. "Well, you see it in fact isn't the romance that I need... Such things bore me, and lack my attention, save calming my... Frustrations. No not at all..."

Her grin broadened.

"Pyramus who laid his life for thisbe... That loyalty is what I seek. Mortality is a cruel curse... A curse that I can lift."

He looked at her warily.

"Really? You just met me, and now we're talking about undying loyalty...? You shouldn't try to manipulate me, I see right through glamours and other hex spells."

She laughed. "Well, aren't you a cute one!"

Her face became serious.

"Face it Max, you don't belong with these mortals. You are catering to those less powerful than you, as if they were some form of royalty."

She gazed through him.

"My name is Nephthys, dark priestess of hell... Your name is Max, a powerful and educated, soul fed Leviathan... I can restore you to more than you were... Oh, and by the way? Thorns of fate was an excellent read, how do you do it!?"

Max grinned. "So it's already gotten that far...? Poor Haku."

She grinned. "Yes, and he should be experiencing some followers fairly soon..."

Max gaped. "You mean... You mean there too!?"

She laughed gleefully to herself.

"Well, when I finished it, I figured why not stir up some trouble? Besides, the child needs a good book now and again..."

Max scratched his head.

"The child...?"

His eyes widened.

"Wait! IT WAS HER!" He yelled.

"She turned me into this... This FLESHY MORTAL SACK!"

She smiled playfully.

"Oh come Max, weren't you just blindly obsessing over a 'fleshy mortal sack'?"

He froze.

"No... I know that there's more too it than that! I feel it..."

She sighed.

"Do what you will, I cannot bottle feed you hopes and lies like the likes of them."

She looked at him.

"If you change your mind..."

She handed him a seed.

"Eat this seed, and I will make you grand... Call me."

She disappeared, and Max stood there frozen.

He saw Emi and Nori being dragged to the tree by a masked man.

The man stopped when he saw him.

"Hey... Are you here for the ritual? Maori said I would have an assistant.

Max heard a whispering in the edge of his mind.

 _"These friends of yours...? Well, play along. Your name is Toshin Akina... If you follow my guidance, we can make things pretty interesting."_

Max nodded.

"Yep, Toshin Akina, at your service."

The man sighed.

"Thank god... Wouldn't want any intruders coming in... It makes Goliath nervous."

Nephthys laughed loudly in his thoughts.

 _"These mortals think they know me! It's Goliath is, and Goliath that... I'll be glad to be rid of this town."_

 _(This town...? What are you planning.)_

 _"Oh... You will see in good time!"_

She continued laughing.

Max nodded. "Yes it does... What do you need me to do?"

The man looked at him with confusion, then shook his head.

"Right, I forgot that ypou were new... Maori said this might happen."

He smiled. "Well, carve the runes into the tree... You know, the holy ones we learned in training? Come ask if you get confused... Goliath's mercy bless you."

 _"Ha! As if! Those stupid cattle... Pick up the tool, and when he turns his back, I want you to kill him."_

 _(Kill him!?... Well... I suppose he is hurting my friends.)_

 _"Stake him to my tree, and carve the runes on his naked corpse... He has a wife and three children. I want them killed as well."_

 _(What!? No! What do they have to do with this!? I will not involve-!)_

 _"You will do what I say. Oh Hiro... Such a delicate little frame, and such strength... What a fragile little jugular. Yes, that delicate and unarmored throat could easily be-"_

 _(No! NO! Not Hiro!... Why do you want me to do this? I'll kill the man, and carve the runes, but why his family? If my murderous insanity wasn't enough, I will not willingly murder children!)_

 _"Hahaha! Who said it was willing!? I am ordering you to kill them, or your lover will die. The point is to send a message... Don't look now, but that man is getting suspicious. Here, I'll even summon his family for you... Right in the palm of your hand, bound to this tree... I'll even bind the man. I am being very gracious, so you had best respond appropriately."_

The family and the man were bound to the tree.

The man looked at max wide eyed, and his children began to cry.

His wife began weeping.

"P-Please spare us! W-We promise we'll repent!"

The man nodded.

"C-Come on Tojin! I... Yeah, I was suspicious of you. I knew you were up to something... Turns out it was in Goliath's grace... Please! Please give us a chance brother!"

Max's breath was shaking.

"M-My name is Max... I am very sorry."

He killed the man, and the children began screaming.

He was about to kill the rest of him, when Nephthys gave him another order.

 _"Notice how his corpse has remained... Well? Carve in the runes, and then finish the children and mother."_

 _(That's just cruel. We will send the same message if they are all dead... No need to draw it on.)_

 _"Do as I say... Hiro will suffer if you disobey me, or spare any lives... I promise you."_

Max began carving the runes into the man.

The woman sobbed.

"Y-You're scared, just like us! Please! I'm begging you, STOP!"

Max sobbed.

"I don't want to kill you... But I have to. I'm sorry!"

 _"Yes... Now enough with the waterworks, and get on with it!"_

She said that aloud.

"SHUT UP!" He screamed.

"I already agreed to do what you've asked, in exchange for Hiro coming to no harm... Deal with my pain."

The woman gave him a soft and hopeless look.

"It's a lie... Isn't it?" She said.

Max nodded.

"Yes... I'm sorry."

The woman laughed darkly.

"Then I also apologize, but I won't give this hag the pleasure!"

The children gave a quick scream, as the mother and the children burst into flames.

They died shortly after.

 _"No! NO! WHAT HAVE YOU DONE!?"_

Emi and Nori were awake, but sat there frozen.

Nephthys appeared before them.

"I was going to HELP YOU!" She screamed.

"YOU!... Then again... It really wasn't your doing."

She looked at him.

"Come with me boy, you no longer have a choice. Your service will be my merciful penance."

Emi stood.

"Now that's not gonna happen." She said.

"Max... Whatever's goin' on, let us help ya out. You can't be listening to one word she says."

Nori stood. "Emi, be careful."

Nephthys glared at them.

"You two are annoying."

She went to slit both of their throats, and Max stopped both of the knives with his arms.

"Stop this!" He yelled.

"Fine... I'll serve you... If you leave them alone."

She laughed.

"That depends on how fast they can run..."

She disappeared with Max, and the ground shook.

The wall of blackness sped up, and began approaching the town.

Emi's and Nori's eyes went wide.

They ran for town, and hoped that the others would be ready to go.

...

ChiKaKū had taken Fred and the others in the group toward the oak.

"NOW THEN... WE SHOULD BE NEARLY-"

"Go BACK!" Yelled Emi in the distance.

"TURN AROUND!" Nori screamed.

Chikakū saw the wall, and so did the others.

He scooped up Nori and Emi, running toward the town.

They entered town, and Nori jumped down.

She ran to her sisters.

"Come on!" She yelled.

"There's a big wall coming and-!"

A woman grabbed the three children, held them at knife point.

"Don't be so hasty!" She barked.

"Mother!?" She exclaimed.

"You know full well this is Goliath's doing, and all must pass in the reaping."

"Yes, and where were you before then!?" She yelled.

She looked at the impending doom which was the seed wall.

"Give them to me!" She screamed.

They began to cry.

"Just run!" They sobbed.

"Run away!"

"I won't leave you three!" She cried.

"I will never EVER abandon my family!"

The wall came closer.

Nori tried to pull them away, holding on for dear life.

Chikakū swiped her up, pulling her away from her family.

"THERE'S NO TIME! WE HAVE TO GO!" He exclaimed.

"NO!" She screamed.

Chikakū scooped up the rest of the residents and Leviathan's, leaving the town.

Eiji panicked.

"WAIT!? WHERE'S MEI!?"

Satori looked around.

"There! Running from the wall!"

"THERE'S NO TIME!" Chikakū yelled, his voice like booming thunder.

"THEY'LL HAVE TO RUN!"

Mei tripped, and both Navin and her fell to the ground.

Navin had gashed his hand on shattered glass and debris.

His eyes were wide as the wall approached them.

"No! MEI! NAVIN!" Eiji screamed.

Navin closed his eyes, and felt power surge through him.

"STOOOOOP!" He yelled.

He was shaking, and growing faint from loss of blood.

He opened his eyes.

The wall had stopped...

But not just the wall.

Mei sat there frozen, her arms shielding Navin.

Her expression was horrified, and there were the edgings of tears that would have never fallen.

He looked up at the others.

Chikakū was frozen mid run, and the others were frozen as well.

Wind that had been blowing through the trees had stopped in it's trail, shattered branches floating in mid fall.

Navin clutched his hand.

There were pieces of shattered glass in his hand that needed to be removed.

For right now it had to be wrapped.

He took his jacket off, and tied his sleeve around his hand.

A shabby wrapping, but it worked for now.

The best that eleven year old Navin could do.

He grabbed Mei, and dragged her up Chikakū's leg, climbing up his body until they settled in his arms.

He shifted uncomfortably as time remained frozen.

He sighed.

"Um time...? Change back please?" He asked.

Nothing happened.

"Hello?" He asked softly.

 _"How are you awake?"_

Navin jumped.

"Wh-Who's voice is that!?" He exclaimed.

 _"My voice, of course! You're my doll after all... You should know who I am."_

He looked up.

"Sorry ghost girl, but I'm a person. You know, the kind that are alive?"

 _"I am alive... You are my doll. Hey... You're really cute, are you a prince?"_

He laughed. "No! I'm not a prince, but thanks for thinking so!"

 _"Well, when I'm free, I'll make you a prince... I promise."_

His expression was concerned.

"Hey, um... Where are you? Are you in trouble? Maybe I can find you, and free you... Are you really a ghost? Where are you?"

He could hear her crying.

 _"I wish you could! It's so cold here... You're just a doll, but I bet if you were here you could save me. You're a nice and brave little doll... I'm very tired now, and need to sleep. Here, let me wrap this up, and you keep running okay? I'll make sure my wall doesn't eat you."_

Time continued forward, and Eiji did a double take.

Mei jumped back, shocked by the sudden change in setting.

"B-B-But HOW!? Y-You were just-!"

Navin grabbed his arm and cringed.

"Long story, explain it later. Chikakū, keep running."

Chikakū sighed.

"IT SEEMS WE HAVE ANOTHER MAGE FOR THE ROADS..."

Navin shook his head.

"No... It wasn't blood magic, I'm sure I would have known."

Hiro looked at his hand.

"Yeah... It could be blood magic. That gash on your hand could cause you to teleport I guess... It's huge!"

Mei looked at his hand, and the blood that covered the jacket that shabbily wrapped it.

She tore a sleeve off of the jacket, and tied it tighter.

Navin winced.

"Ow! Mom... There's still glass in there."

The wall was slowing down again, and you could hear Nori sobbing in the background.

Eiji stopped.

"Wait... How did you wrap that so fast if you just teleported up here?"

Navin shifted uncomfortably.

"Um... Well, I didn't teleport. I kind of um... Well, you see everything else stopped, and I kept going... I talked to this girl who thought I was a doll, but anyway... Yeah, time stopped."

Hiro shook her head.

"That is a lot to take in..."

She froze.

"Hold on... Max? Where is he?"

Emi and Nori froze as well. They stayed silent.

Hiro looked at them.

"Emi! Nori! Where's Max!?"

Nori sighed, her breath shaking.

"N-Nephthys has him."

Hiro's world stopped.

Not again.

Not this AGAIN!

Max... Was he alive? That wall... He said that only if she dies, he would die.

The wall had the power to sever these bonds.

She slumped forward, and held her head between her knees.

She didn't cry.

She didn't shake.

She didn't speak one word.

She stayed like this, all the way to the blood roads.


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15: Solitude

Kahn was wandering in a forested night realm.

He actually found it quite comfortable, considering the area.

This was a setting he was quite fond of, even oif it was associated with the training room in the bathhouse. At least then he had a moment of truth.

He hated how complicated things had gotten, and quite enjoyed the solitude.

He sighed.

"The others are probably wondering where I am, if they aren't all separated like this."

He felt something behind his back twitch.

He made an annoyed face, and scratched his lumina wings.

"Damn! I had almost forgotten how itchy these could get!"

Kahn caught a whif of tainted stench as the dark creatures grew nearer.

He let out a yawn.

"You know, it would be much more interesting if they actually attacked me... Or... Sounded right. They don't creak like that, and you've got it all wrong on the inhale."

He heard the little girl let out an exasperated sigh.

 _"But... Why aren't you more scared!? This is supposed to be your nightmare... "_

Kahn let out a laugh.

"Little one, my life is a nightmare! This one is a fun relic, I'll give you that..."

 _"Interesting... You seem to be pretty calm about this... I wonder why? I guess you've seen all of this, so none of it really scares you. Why do my dolls never listen..."_

He blinked curiously...

 _Dolls...?_

 _Oh! She must be the one Shisuta mentioned!_

 _The one that was the seed mind!_

 _That's who I've been bantering with!?_

 _...I should have known._

 _Hmm..._

 _She said her dolls never listen._

 _I'm curious now..._

 _Who is she?_

 _I want to know more, so I should play the doll._

He sighed. "Well, I could listen, I'm your doll after all... You know, sometimes dolls make the best of friends, especially as a child... Are you alright?"

She sighed sadly.

"Well... I just... Why doesn't anyone come home? I'm always lonely... So lonely..."

She paused.

Then she screamed.

"NO! NO! I'M NOT ALONE! My dolls... They're here... That's right... Shhh... It's okay..."

The forest started to darken.

"But... What if it's all in my head...?"

Trees started falling down, and Kahn saw that his hands were becoming see through.

"They're just dolls..."

The ground began to shake.

"JUST DOLLS LOKI!"

"WAIT!" Kahn exclaimed.

"No... We're real! We're all real... I'm here, just calm down!... I'm listening."

The forest seemed to stabilize, and Kahn felt his form return to normal.

"You are...?" She asked tearfully.

"Thank goodness, for a second there, I thought I was crazy!... Guess not."

Kahn froze.

He was glad he had stopped her from making an inner realization that would have destroyed time...

However, as the little girl poured her heart out, Kahn came to his own realization.

They weren't real... Not in the seeds perspective.

They were indeed, figments of a child's neglected insanity...

...No doubt, he knew he existed.

It was only because she believed so strongly that he did.

They needed to get the seed.

The seed is in the mind of a small hopeless child.

The question is, if they obtained the seed...

...What becomes of the child?

Then he remembered what she said.

 _"Their just dolls... JUST DOLLS LOKI!"_

The name rang through his head, as he stood with a complete and solid composure...

...His mind slowly breaking.

...

I felt the ground shake and are forms begin to disperse...

We all did.

Linn and Chihiro were still pretty shaken up by it.

I had a feeling that it didn't pertain to us, but that we had best move quickly.

Chihiro looked at me worriedly.

"Haku... What now? What just happened."

I sighed. "I don't know, but I think we need to move now... Something feels off."

Linn's eyes widened.

"Haku... Wh-WHAT IS THAT!?"

The blue house began uprooting it's foundation, as metal pipes shot out from underground, letting the snarling home drag itself forward.

The house jumped up into the air, plummeting toward us.

My eyes went wide as the impending doom edged nearer.

Chihiro used my speed, and body slammed both Linn and I out of the way.

She caught Linn, and set her down gently.

"Is everyone okay?" She asked.

The house was now a pile of rubble.

"Okay!?" Linn exclaimed.

"I almost got crushed by a house! So NO! I'M NOT OKAY!"

I gave a flat sigh.

"Linn. You aren't injured... But you're definitely pregnant."

Her eye twitched.

"Oh... I see how it is. You... YOU JUST WENT THERE! YOU'RE GONNA GET IT HAKU!"

I froze.

 _Oh shit... Not now!_

 _I can't run fast!_

 _(Haku!? Is that you!?)_

 _Kuhn!? What!? What is this?_

 _(Ummm... I have no clue.)_

 _Okay, well, tell me what to do!_

 _(What did you do.)_

 _Umm... Oh god... Well, I think I made Linn angry._

 _(Linn? She's with you!? How is she!?)_

 _Angry! You need to help me!_

Linn was chasing me around the house rubble, throwing bricks, pipes, and chunks of blue wood.

I was ducking, darting from one side, to the other side of the rubble pile.

Linn tried to corner me on each side.

 _(Oh hell... What did you do!? She really is angry!)_

 _Well, she was acting a little overdramatic, and... I might have brought up that she was having pregnant mood swings._

 _(Okay, but... What was she overreacting about?)_

 _Well, you see... Chihiro's blue house almost crushed all of us, but-_

 _(WHAT!? NO! She was NOT OVERREACTING!)_

 _Kuhn, you didn't let me fin-!_

 _(You know what!? I hope she smacks you a few times!... By the way... How are the kids doing?)_

I froze.

A chunk of wood hit me in the head, knocking me to the ground.

"THAT'LL TEACH YOU! And that's a slap on the wrist! Don't fuck with me Haku!"

 _OW!? A slap on the wrist!? That was a two by four that just smashed into my SKULL!_

 _How do you do it Kuhn...?_

 _(Well, to start, I'm not an idiot.)_

Ha... _Ha, ha. Hilarious._

 _(Well... Wait. How are the kids? How is she coming along? Is something wrong?)_

 _She's fine, and so are the kids._

 _(Thank god... For a second I thought-)_

 _Unless you count what happened in... DAMMIT!_

 _(Haku. You'd better not be hiding anything. Tell me what happened. Now.)_

 _We had been preparing for a trip out of what we discovered were safe havens._

 _There are forests outside of them._

 _As we were walking, I realized that the forest was draining us. Linn was not tired, so me, having obtained Chihiro's intuition, caught the vibe._

 _One of the children had died, and-_

 _(What!? No... No! God dammit! NO!)_

 _Calm down, they're all alive now._

 _Chihiro and I made sure that she survived, and Chihiro was able to heal her through my river magic._

 _(Thank god... I thought... Damn. Thank you Haku.)_

 _Of course... I couldn't knowingly let that happen._

 _(Keep going, and catch up to us... Or we can catch up to you. You and Chihiro switched powers?)_

 _Yes, we switched powers, and it looks like Linn has the well of knowledge._

 _|YES! FINALLY! Now I know... It had been bothering me. Hello all.|_

 _SHISUTA!? (SHISUTA!?)_

 _|Oh... It seems as though the hive mind is expanding.|_

 _"Dammit... I kind of liked it with just me and you..."_

 _|You and "I"... Grammar is important Karo.|_

 _"Well... Um... No."_

 _|KARO!|_

 _Oh lord... This is going to give me a migraine._

 _(Yeah... Me too. Wait... Karo and Shisuta? Oh no! You two had better be quiet! I don't want to hear you two... Well... Yeah, that.)_

 _|*mmm... You like that...?*|_

 _|OH! Sorry! Mind filter... That is much better...|_

 _Oh... No... I've had enough imagery!_

 _Can I please leave!?_

 _(Right!? God, I remember when these two were hiro's age, and... Oh no! Please tell me this won't be a constant thing!?)_

Haruka's voice rang through our minds.

"I said NO BRAIN- AHHHH! REAL PORN!"

Shisuta and Karo had blocked Kuhn and I out.

 _No... No. No! NO! NO!_

 _I NEED BRAIN BLEACH!_

 _(That's funny...)_

 _What!? Why...?_

 _(No reason.)_

Kuhn blocked me out.

"No! Answer me! Dammit..."

Chihiro wrapped me in a hug.

"Are you okay!?" She exclaimed.

She looked at Linn furiously.

"You threw it too hard! You could have really hurt him!"

She sighed.

"I didn't throw it that hard, and from what I saw, he was in a trance... The eyes darted back and forth, suggesting a dream state, or a deep state of thought, and... Hey... Holy hell? How did I know that!?"

I looked at her.

"It seems the seal on Shisuta's well worked about as well as a filter... Damn."

Chihiro looked at me.

"Don't blame yourself, I'm actually surprised you could do it at all. You haven't had my magic for very long, after all..."

I smiled.

"Well... It wasn't easy, but..."

"Well... I just hope it doesn't break." Said Linn nervously.

"From what you said about Shisuta? That would be like comparing a brick of wurzite boron nitride to a grape under the pressure of a jackhammer!... I can't believe I just said that."

I looked toward the next forest.

We needed to leave soon, and I would carry Linn...

I knew we had started to figure this out, I just couldn't help but wonder whether we had dropped our guard too soon...


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter 16: Blood Roads

Chikakū stopped when they reached the blood roads.

Hiro was sleeping...

Or she was silent.

No one really knew, or was brave enough to ask.

She was curled up in a ball, and laying on her side. Eiji, Emi, and Nori were with her.

Nori was fairly shell shocked, but by nature she was very caring and kind.

She also comforted Hiro.

Hiro felt a little guilty, because Nori had lost so much more than her. She also hated this a little, because she was the center of attention. She didn't feel like she quite deserved it, but welcomed the comfort.

Navin stretched his arms out, and let out a soft yawn.

"Wow... It's morning...?" He said, his eyes still heavy from sleepiness.

Mei smiled. "Yep. I'm surprised to see you're up so early. Usually you... Um... Oh lord."

Navin was snoring softly again, his head rested on a loudly snoring Satoshi.

She smiled warmly.

"Well... Would you look at that..."

"WE ARE AT THE BLOOD ROAD'S ENTRANCE." Said Chikakū softly, his voice rumbling slightly.

Emi, Eiji, Hiro, and Nori all sat up.

Kaihn sat as well, with Uwayaku-kuhn and Sora.

Freya was already awake, and was getting her things together.

Navin continued sleeping.

Mei rolled her eyes and shook him.

"Navin... Navin. Hey, you need to... NAVIN!"

His eyes fluttered for a moment, then he fell back asleep.

Hiro sighed.

"Navin. There's a spider on you."

He sat up screaming.

"What!? NO! NOOO! GET IT OFF!... Oh, we're here... Okay."

Mei gaped at Hiro.

"Now that's a talent..."

Hiro smiled.

"Your welcome."

Emi stared at the shimmering forcefield and bloody, gnarled and twisted gate.

Shivers tingled up her spine, as the firey scent of freshly crushed bones caught her scent.

"Damn... Talk about lockin' up!"

Hiro nodded in agreement.

"I know... It looks really intimidating."

Eiji physically gulped.

"This is absolutely AMAZING!" Yelled Nori from below.

Everyone gaped as Nori meandered over to the blood soaked door, built off of the hinges of a great beast's jaw.

"Would you look at the size of this!? This is incredible! Just-"

The jaw slapped down, and crushed Nori.

Everyone screamed, and Emi lurched forward.

"No! NORI!"

A little puddle formed on the ground, slipping between the teeth of the treacherous door.

It slowly edged away, next to Chikakū's massive foot.

Neon made a grumbling sound.

 _(Um... I think that's Nori... No really, the puddle. It's her.)_

"Not again..." It bubbled.

Hiro, Eiji, and Emi ran to the small puddle.

"Nori!?" Eiji exclaimed.

"Yes... I'm sorry, this is so completely embarrassing! It happens when I'm caught off guard... I can't control it."

Nori's blood mage ability allowed her to change the properties of her body a certain amount of times a day.

This however, was a bit extreme.

Uwayaku-kuhn and Sora came down with Kaihn.

Freya also came down.

"How curious... She's... Um... A puddle? Can that happen?" Kaihn asked.

Uwayaku-kuhn nodded. "Yes, it can. Though it is a rare side effect of the ability. It will likely be a lifelong struggle."

Kaihn scratched his head.

"But... That could be useful in say, not dying. Couldn't it?"

Freya nodded. "If she could learn to control it, it could be an incredible asset."

Sora laughed. "Oh no! Afraid not love! It happens at random, it's very literally uncontrollable, and takes an hour to ware off. It renders the caster invulnerable, but otherwise useless."

"Well that sucks." Said Kaihn and Freya in sync.

Kaihn blushed, a bead of sweat dripping down his brow.

Freya glanced at him.

"What's up with you? You alright?"

He turned a deeper red.

"Well! um... Yes! Yes, of course! I'm... It's just... So hot..."

He continued to stare for a moment.

"Very hot..."

She smirked. "Then you'd better find some cold water before any more blood runs to your head."

She winked, and walked away, joining Emi and the others.

Uwayaku-kuhn shook his head.

"Well son, I think you get the meaning."

Kaihn stood there like a steaming red coal.

 _Great... Now I wish I was a puddle..._

Hiro was scooping a puddled Nori into Eiji's shirt.

He held it open like a bowl, to hold her in place.

"Um... Eiji?" She garbled nervously.

"How long have you been wearing that shirt?"

Eiji turned red.

"Well... Since... Oh god! Since Neon! She can't detach, so I can't change my shirt!"

They all stopped and looked at him.

"Damn..." Said Emi.

"Ya know Eiji? I've seen some unlucky souls, but you are one unlucky bastard! I mean... Holy shit. That sucks..."

Eiji looked at her.

"Oh... You think?" He said flatly.

She nodded. "No! I really do! Damn kid! Lemme see..."

"Emika!" Nori exclaimed.

"Speak properly!"

Emi folded her arms.

"Look, this ain't my thing! I ain't gonna-!"

Nori snapped.

"If you say 'ain't' one more time, I will jump out of puddle form, and stuff Eiji's socks in your mouth!"

"She'll do it." Said Hiro.

"Hey!" Eiji exclaimed. "What about-!?"

"I'll do it!" Nori screamed.

"Or just ignore me... That's fine too."

"Hold her down Hiro!"

Eiji sighed.

"Hey guys. I'm getting a tattoo."

"I have knives!" Emi squawled.

"Not that... I'd use them on a pretty lady... But still!"

"That's right!" Nori exclaimed.

"Suffer! Mwahahahahahaaa!"

Hiro rolled her eyes.

"God... Why have I agreed to this?"

"It's going to be on my face." Said Eiji flatly.

"Yeah... A unicorn... That's the stuff. I'll even give Neon a Mohawk."

Freya smiled.

"Well Eiji? I'll hold you too it."

Eiji did a double take.

"Wh-What!? Freya!?"

 _(Yaaaay! I get a Mohawk!)_

 _No! I'm not... Well, you can have a Mohawk Neon. No embarrassing tattoos!_

Freya grinned. "Yep. A man is only as good as his word."

Navin laughed.

Eiji jumped.

"Oh wow! Really!? Odd choice..."

Eiji gave him a side glance.

"You know I wasn't serious, right?"

"Oh yeah you are!" Said Freya.

She held her arms behind her head.

"You have to have some fun at least once every eternity!"

Eiji hung his head.

"I'm starting to see why you and Emi get along so well..."

"I ain't gonna lose!" Emi yelled.

"That's it!" Nori screamed.

She launched herself off of Eiji, and happened to scratch Navin's arm.

The world went in slow motion, and Navin felt his eyes widen as he tried not to laugh.

Eiji's shirt was ripped completely to shreds, as Eiji's eyes slowly widened, letting out a seemingly delayed, "Nooooooooo...!"

Nori ripped the shirt the rest of the way off, the cloth where Neon hung was still attached, and Navin could see veins and skin that attached to eiji from Neon's arms and legs.

 _No way..._

 _(Oh no! Hahaha hahaha! That's funny! Those get big too!)_

 _Hey friend, Are you here to watch the show?_

 _(Friend...?)_

 _Yeah! Of course! Do... Do you think we're friends...? Sorry, I just kind of assumed._

 _(Really...? You mean it!?)_

 _Well... Yeah. Why wouldn't I?_

 _(I've... I've never had any friends.)_

 _Well now you do! Come on, let's sit back and enjoy the show!_

 _(Okay... Sure.)_

Nori landed on Emi, knocking Hiro toward the gate.

They both looked up as Hiro drifted toward the wall.

Eiji stood, and ran toward her.

 _Oh no! He won't make it in time!_

 _(Run Navin! Save your friend!)_

Navin burst into a sprint toward Hiro.

He caught her mid drift, and she seemed lighter than she should be.

He dragged Emi and Nori away from the closing gate, and caught Eiji as he ran toward him.

Time continued at a normal rate, as Navin and the three rambunctious teens slid across the ground and away from the horrid gate.

They all took in shallow breaths, unable to fully process what just happened.

Navin stood.

"You need to be more careful!" He exclaimed.

"Do that stuff away from the man eating gate! See how far that goes? And where were all of you!?"

Nori looked at Navin's arm.

"Well... I see now what happened."

She looked at Hiro.

"I'm terribly sorry..."

Hiro sighed.

"Well, we were all roughhousing. We're all to blame."

 _Hey princess ghost... Looks like it all worked out. You are a princess, right? You must be, because you thought I was a prince._

 _..._

 _Princess ghost?_

 _..._

 _Hey, ghost girl...? Are you okay?_

Freya held the bridge of her nose.

"Well... The gate is out of question."

Chikakū let out a loud laugh.

"OH!... THAT IS VERY FUNNY... YOU THOUGHT THAT BEAST WAS AN ENTERANCE...? FOOLISH MORTALS... I-"

Hiro walked up to a simple black door.

"Is this it?" She asked.

Chikakū sighed.

"STEALING ONE'S THUNDER IN SOME CULTURES, IS A SYMBOL OF GREAT-"

"Hey, would ya look at that handle? It's got a glowin' button on it."

Chikakū sat, and let the other passengers off. Fred ran up to Emi, and held back her hand.

"I would be careful if I were you." He said softly.

Chikakū looked at Eiji.

"IT MUST BE HUMBLING WHEN YOU REALIZE THAT YOU ARE THE LONE TESTOSTERONE IN A SEA OF ESTROGEN... AND ARE CURSED WITH THE GIRLIEST PINK, AND FUZZY ARMADILLO TO FACE MORTAL EYES. IT WOULD BE MORE HUMBLING, WITH A FRILLY DRESS TO-"

"I get the point..." Eiji grumbled.

Chikakū laughed.

"I MAKE NO JUDGMENTS."

He stood, and the ground quaked as he walked over to the barrier.

He lifted up the forcefield like a window curtain.

"EVERYONE INSIDE!" He exclaimed.

"I CAN ONLY LIFT IT FROM THE OUTER WALL... AND IT WILL CLOSE IN A MATTER OF THIRTY SECONDS... OH, AND ALSO-"

"You don't have to tell me twice!" Hiro exclaimed.

She dragged Emi, Eiji, and Nori with her.

Kaihn and Freya bolted in, along with Uwayaku-kuhn and Sora.

Fred ran in, and so did Talin.

Some of the crowd and the young soldiers stayed back, willing to take their chances with the wall's eventual impending doom.

Not so eventual...

The wind picked up as the wall raced toward the crowd.

Chikakū Slipped inside, continuing to hold open the wall.

Winston, and another Leviathan raced forward, the other Leviathan's close behind.

Mei, Satoshi and Navin ran to the gate.

Mei ushered Navin and Satoshi through...

Then the wall dropped.

Navin's eyes widened, and he banged against the invisible wall.

"No! MOM! Lift the gate Chikakū! LIFT IT!"

Mei's hand pressed against the wall.

Tears streamed down her face, and her mouth mumbled words that were indiscernible as the wall swallowed her in a flash of purple.

The remaining Leviathan's stood frozen as they stared at the wall.

"B...But what about the others...?" Winston asked softly.

"What about all the castles... M-Max's airplane collection... Max! What about HIM!?"

"Dead." Said Talin somberly.

"No one survives this. Not even us."

Navin stood frozen, his hand still pressed, and clutching the wall.

Satoshi put a hand on his shoulder.

He leaned into him, and began to cry.

Satoshi held Navin tightly, tears streaming down his own face.

Eiji...

His eyes looked...

Broken.

He stared at the wall.

His face was expressionless.

 _Mei..._

 _Why her?_

 _Why someone like Mei?_

 _She never wanted to hurt anyone..._

 _She was loving, and kind. She always had a smile._

 _She was a great mom, and never got a break, even at the warrior's, and up until now._

 _Now...? She's dead._

 _Dead._

 _My parents are in that horrible wall world..._

 _They'll die too._

 _(Eiji... I'm really sorry...)_

 _Stop. What do you know?_

 _You're the one who cursed me._

 _You probably cursed Hiro, and Navin... And Mei too._

 _(No... I promise! I'm sorry! I didn't mean to curse you!)_

 _Then why!? Why did you latch onto me like some LEECH!?_

 _(B-Because my parents died too... My mom was hunted for her soft fur... But I was left behind, because the hunters couldn't kill me... When I detach, you'll probably see the scars from the hunters removing me... I'm really sorry! You won't want to see me then!)_

 _Neon..._

 _(I'm sorry! I'll leave as soon as I'm ready if you want!)_

 _No! Please don't!_

Eiji burst into tears.

With everything that had been going on, he had no time to really process anything.

He hid his face with his hand, ashamed of his own tears.

Neon whined softly into Eiji.

Hiro wrapped him in a hug.

"I'm sure our parents will work it out..." She whispered.

"After all... They're all warrior's. If anyone can..."

She began to cry softly, and Eiji hugged her back.

"I know..." He said softly.

"Let's just make it to the end of the blood roads... No one on that side will die in vain, and neither will our parents sacrifice."

She looked at him.

He smiled sadly.

"I know it's horrible... But if they don't succeed, we'll all die too. Let's make it to the end, and run into the ends of existence to reach our goal."

The others looked at him.

He stood tall, and his eyes shined with the pride of a river spirit.

"They sent us off, trusting us to make it home... Home is gone."

Even Navin, who was still shell shocked, started paying attention.

"They also told us to make it there... We can't go back, but we can move forward. If we don't make it before the end, we've failed everyone in that wall, and everyone who has died because of it."

His voice became louder, and more inflected.

"And yes, I'm scared, Nauseous, and way out of my league on these roads! So? What then? Do we give up, and submit to the wall? No. We finish what we started. Just because you're scared, it doesn't mean you can't be brave. Standing up and facing those fears. That's what makes you brave."

Eiji raised his fist in the air.

"I will beat this wall!"

"Me too!" Said Hiro. Her fist was raised proudly next to Eiji's.

Emi raised her fist at the wall.

"You and me death wall, let's go!"

Nori raised her fist in the air.

"My sisters didn't deserve the fate they had... Let's show fate who the real winners are!"

The three Usagi's rose their fists in silent respect.

Uwayaku-kuhn gave Eiji a curt nod.

Freya rose her fist.

"Sister... I know it wasn't the wall that killed you... But I'm still going to make it to the end. Then, when I finally meet you, I'll have a grand story to tell."

Navin rose his fist as well.

"Mom, I'll see you again some day soon... But I swear! I'll cone home a hero!"

Satori raised his fist, and gave a nod of respect.

Fred and the Leviathan's saluted the wall.

"For Max, and the rest." Said Talin.

"Let's end the Romagedy right!"

The Leviathan's cheered, and the group was filled with new hope.

Chikakū laughed, and raised his fist that towered the sky.

"I SEE! THIS IS GOING TO BE THE GRANDEST OF FINALLE'S! HOW EXCITING!"

They moved forward, hope in their hearts...

...As a Sorceress and her Noble cockroach held lurking eyes in the shadows.


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter 17: The Long Distance Team

Chihiro and I had taken turns carrying Linn... Not that it really conserved our strength.

This forest was a maze, and we couldn't find our way out.

Chihiro tried running us through, but we ran into a wall. This forest seemed to get more and more strange, and I had a feeling we were transitioning into a new area.

I looked above us, and saw a bright light.

Our strength restored, and I gave a sigh of relief.

"Chihiro. You can give Linn to me now... I think we've cleared the forests."

She gave a tired slump as she set her down.

"We're out of the forest Haku... She can walk... Linn?"

I looked down, and my gut wrenched with this horrible fear...

What was this?

Wait... Hold on...

Linn... She's sleeping.

She fell asleep.

What about...?

Oh hell... Not this.

Linn's eyes fluttered open.

She sat up in a gasp.

"Wh-What!? What happened!?"

I was physically shaking for a moment, attempting to still my thoughts.

I sighed slowly.

"You must have gotten tired... I... It must have been from lack of sleep."

 _Lies! Dammit! I can't tell her... Not now. I need to get her to Kuhn and the others fast!_

 _(Haku...? Wait! What happened!?)_

 _Where are you now?_

 _(Still at the safe haven, coming up with a plan on how to approach the portal. We found out that the portal here glows a black light. It's guarded in the shaded trees... By butterflies... In a field of flowers. Knowing this crazy place? It spells disaster. The trees are shaded, but they're in the center... The meadow surrounds the shaded trees and portal, but it's so frigid and cold, we need to strip for the journey... I sound like a living contradiction... Damn.)_

 _|No... This place is a living contradiction. The laws are absolutely ludicrous, but, they make sense in terms of opposites. The further down you strip, the warmer you are... Even in the most intensely cold environment here, nakedness should suffice.|_

 _(Right... Okay Shisuta, but no more of that brain porn... Seriously... We can all hear you. It's not pleasant. No. Not in the least bit.)_

 _"Not pleasant you say...?"_

 _(Ah, shut up! Of course you like it Karo... You're in it.)_

 _(Aside from the hornfest...)_

 _|HEY!| "HEY!"_

 _(Linn... Haku... Do I want to know?)_

 _You kind of have to know..._

 _..._

 _Kuhn?_

 _..._

 _Kuhn... I'm sorry._

 _(I see... So that IS it...)_

 _Kuhn! I'm really sorry! I swear, we tried everything! I-!_

 _(I know you did... Just... Not right now.)_

Kuhn blocked me out.

 _Kuhn... I'll get her back. That I promise._

 _Please tell him that._

 _{I will Haku.}_

 _Loki...?_

 _{Yep... You've got quite the burden friend... Good luck to you.}_

 _...Loki..._

 _Thank you!_

My face concealed it, but I felt like breaking down.

"Um, Linn?" Said Chihiro.

"Now that you're up... Um... Can you guard the corner and make sure no one's here who wants to... You know... Kill us?"

Linn gave a mournful sigh and shook her head.

"When did I suddenly get guard duty?"

She walked over to the corner, and sat.

Chihiro looked at me... Her eyes filled with sadness.

"I may not have my intuition anymore, but I know you... I know that look."

I let a single tear slip, trying to conceal my pain that riddled my features.

"I... I should have seen it coming."

She hugged me softly.

"No, don't do that. It drives you crazy you know? I love you... This isn't your fault."

I leaned into her.

My face stayed solid, but tears flowed freely from my eyes.

"Chihiro... I tried so hard... You... You even cast the spell right the first time. I can't even..."

She held me tighter.

"Obviously I didn't cast it well enough."

I looked at her, and tears were flowing from her eyes as well.

Linn walked over to us.

"Hey... Are you guys alright?"

 _She's looking at me..._

 _She expects an answer._

 _What do I say...?_

 _WHAT DO I-!?_

 _*Right... Let's go... It was probably nothing.*_

 _[Eiji... Hold on a second... I know that look... You sense something don't you?]_

 _*But... It's impossible! They both should have...*_

 _Eiji...?_

And like that... My mind was swept into another vision.

...

Eiji and the others were on full speed ahead.

The blood roads did not reek of bones and internal organs as was expected... They were actually quite beautiful. The trees and surrounding flowers gave a fresh smell, and filled the party with even more vigor and excitement.

Nori was picking some assorted flowers...

Emi was helping her sort them into three bouquet's...

Her sisters.

He gave a sad sigh.

 _That's just horrible... Little kids don't deserve that._

 _"Yeah... They don't. However, you'll find that the most painful deaths are undeserved... I'm sorry Eiji. I hope you feel better soon."_

 _No Neon... I'm sorry about your parents. I shouldn't have been so rude to you..._

 _"It's fine. That doesn't mean I don't love you, and can't have fun. I still try to be happy, but sometimes I'm just sad, and there's nothing anyone can do... So I just look at the sky, because it tells happier stories than I do."_

 _...Wow... Really?_

 _"Yeah... The sky can tell many secrets and stories, you just have to be ready to listen."_

 _How do you know when you're ready?_

 _"When your own mind is so poisonous, that the gun smoke from the latest disaster seems breathable... You will look into the blinding sun, and find peace in it's blindness... There you will find your answer."_

 _I'm... Not sure I understand._

 _"I hope you never do..."_

 _Hey... I'm here for you. I promise things won't be this bad forever... Just wait, you'll grow up nice and strong, and we'll both be happy._

 _"Thank you Eiji... I hope so!"_

She began sniffling softly.

I gave her soft pets on the head.

"It's alright Neon... We'll be okay."

Hiro sighed sadly.

"The poor thing... She's probably scared to death."

Eiji shook his head.

"Not anymore. She's sad because her parents died... She's still mourning, and sad for everyone else too."

Hiro blinked in surprise.

"What?... Oh! Oh yeah... You two can mentally talk like max and..."

She stopped.

"Like Fred and Emi can."

Eiji's face fell.

"Hiro... I'm sorry. I know he loved you... And I know how much."

She looked at him.

"You do...?"

He nodded sadly.

"I do. I'd never hold it against him... Everyone deserves to love... I'm just sorry it worked out like this."

Tears spilled from her eyes.

"Th-Thanks Eiji... I... I don't know why I... I was so..."

She burst into tears.

Eiji hugged her.

"I know. I'm sorry Hiro..."

They all stopped, and looked at Hiro and Eiji.

"WHY DOES SHE WEEP...?" Chikakū asked.

"I THOUGHT WE WERE EXCITED."

Emi walked up to them.

"Hey... Is she okay?"

Fred put a hand on her shoulder.

 _(It's Max... I'm sure that's it. She probably misses him.)_

 _Yeah... Damn. That really sucks._

 _(It really does... Winston is practically in shambles... They were actually best friends, aside from Talin.)_

 _That poor bastard! Man! I'm gonna pick some flowers for him too!_

 _Bring him cake and... Oh... Wait. The cake was destroyed._

 _Shit._

 _Fuck! I'm pissed now! That was some damn good cake!_

 _Ya hear that bitch cakes!? Ya skankorific cake thievin' piss hole wall! Gimme back my grub! Fuckin' thirsty whore hole full of my cake! Yer gonna hafta suck a shit ton a France dick to get that much cake back! Yer hands better be slicker than yer cake gobbling canyon!_

 _Ya thievin' brothel cake wench son of a WHORE!_

 _So... France is a region right?_

 _Where's that?_

 _(Um... Wow. Well... Yes. It's a country on earth.)_

 _Earth? Hmm..._

Eiji sighed.

"No. She's having a hard time right now... I'm sure we all are."

Emi blinked for a moment, remembering the previous conversation.

She looked down.

"That's... Um... Sorry Hiro. Is there anything ya need from me?"

She shook her head, burying it further into Eiji's chest.

Eiji felt a familiar tingle on his shoulder.

He jumped.

They all looked at him.

"What is it?" Kaihn asked.

Eiji shook his head.

"It... It was n-"

"Don't say nothing!" Sora exclaimed.

"We all know you have an innate sense of intuition."

Uwayaku-kuhn nodded.

"Sora's right. Speak up Eiji, what's going on?"

Freya scoped the area, her eyes darting to every shadow and corner.

"I don't see anything... I think it was a false alarm."

Eiji nodded, but his eyes were still weary.

"Right... Let's go... It was probably nothing."

He began to walk forward.

Hiro grabbed him, her eyes filled with worry.

"Eiji... Hold on a second... I know that look... You sense something don't you?"

He shook his head.

"But... It's impossible!" Eiji exclaimed.

"They both should have..." He felt a tingling in the back of his mind.

"Both!? Eiji... You don't mean..."

Emi drew both of her daggers.

"Everyone keep up yer guard! We're bein' followed! COME OUT YA BASTARDS!"

Uwayaku-kuhn shook his head.

Red fire formed in his hands.

"I've had enough of this! Everyone stand back!"

Sora grabbed him.

"Uwayaku-kuhn! Not that spell!"

 _(Eiji...?)_

 _Dad!?_

 _Dad! Where are you guys!? Where's mom!? Is everyone alright!? And-!_

 _(Eiji! EIJI! LOOK OUT!)_

Eiji saw the blast just in time to shoot out his threads, and pull everyone out of the way.

...Everyone except for him.

 _(EIJI! MOVE!)_

 _...Sorry Dad... Too late._

 _(No! NO! MOVE! MOVE! Eiiijjjii! MOOVVVEEE!)_

 _(NOO!)_

A small force moved Eiji...

Like the push of a hand...

His father's hand.

He fell out of the way, the blast of magic hitting the ground.

Everyone flew in different directions.

Emi held onto Nori and Hiro, flying off ahead.

It blasted Chikakū away, carrying Sora and uwayaku-kuhn, preventing what would have been a fatal landing.

Navin smashed into a tree, knocking him out.

He flew past it, as Satoshi caught him.

Kaihn caught Freya and those two using...

Using Eiji's blood threads.

He must have syphoned some of the magic quickly when Eiji had used them.

Kaihn reached out his threads, and Eiji attempted to grab them.

Kaihn was holding onto the branch of a tree, the threads shooting out of his shoulder.

"Eiji! REACH!"

He screamed.

Eiji ran to grab them, being the only one who hadn't been affected by the spell.

Niku kicked Eiji in the back, knocking him down.

Neon squealed painfully.

Amaya blasted Kaihn and the rest away.

Niku continued to kick Eiji in the ribs.

They both laughed as they looked down at him.

Eiji used his arms to shield Neon as she shivered, whimpering in pain.

He glared up at them.

"You leave her alone!" Eiji spat.

He felt very weak, and could no longer stand.

Niku grabbed him by the throat, lifting him off of the ground.

He smiled wickedly.

"Amaya is quite the force to be reckoned with... Yes?"

Niku was so focused on his lustful rage, he didn't notice Amaya looking down in shame.

 _End of the line Amaya..._

 _You know he'll betray you._

 _Serves you right!_

 _Ya fuckin' whore!_

 _Scum of the earth ya are!_

 _STOP!_

 _I AM A NOBLE! I shouldn't associate myself with those mudlark..._

 _No. Remember your roots Amaya._

 _That's Niku talking._

 _You and Em..._

 _Em..._

 _Poor Emi!_

 _Emi! I wish I could tell you! Dammit!_

 _I meant it, every word!_

 _Niku threatened to kill my family! Then he held me hostage, causing my own spell to backfire!_

 _Can't you see!_

 _This ISN'T ME!_

 _NO! I'D NEVER HURT YOU!_

 _Yeah right... Look at her now you stupid bitch!_

 _You fucking dirty FUCKIN' WENCH!_

 _NOOOO!_

 _THIS IS WRONG!_

 _LET GO OF ME!_

Eiji glanced, and saw the truth in her eyes.

For whatever reason, Amaya was held just as hostage as he was.


	18. Chapter 18

_****Hey readers, I'm back to writing again. It's been a long time, almost a year in fact, if not more. I had to struggle through a lot of depression, I had finally bought my first apartment, and then lost my first apartment 4 months later. I have an interview coming up soon, and I am finally getting my life on track... Again. I have gained some life experience, and reading through this, I am convinced that the old me psychically and unknowingly sent a message to the new me.**_

 _ **The message was: Don't give up.**_

 _ **So I can't give up on writing, because it is one of those things that wake me up, and make me feel alive again.**_

 _ **Also, since I've been gone so long, here's a link to a song that foreshadows something in the next part of the story...**_

 _ **The song is called "I Never Told You" by Colbie Caillat.**_

 _ **Here's the Link:**_

youtube **-**. **-** com/watch?v=XfxP4ORIIOY&list=PLKI-fkl2etXc5M2npcJRPXg7japOnzPyH&index=27

 _ **Remember to erase the**_ **Underlined and bolded** _ **dashes next to the 'dot' on '.com'**_

 _ **The last character (Number) of the link is 7, for those who have mobile devices that sometimes erase the last character on accident.**_

 _ **I definitely put my all into this next chapter, but it has been awhile.**_

 _ **Let me know how you like it, and of course...**_

 _ **Enjoy Chapter 18! :)****_

 _ **...**_

Chapter 18: Bound in Flames

This was a dark and dismal place...

Max much preferred more lavish settings, but this place almost made him miss Deadmarch.

Almost.

Thick and opaque bluish slime seemed to envelop the cracked rough obsidian walls, and the room held a pungent and bitter smell.

It resembled the digestive fluids of a fire breathing swamp kracken, primarily found in a split dimension on mars.

He felt the nasty, snot like slime dripping down his back where he was chained to the wall.

It was not pleasant.

He gave a mournful sigh.

"I should have taken Hiro with me on my travels... the blood roads in purgatory 2500 B.C.E. split dimension 6. The scenery there puts even the palace of thorns to shame."

He gave a sly smirk.

"Well... Almost."

He looked down.

"It's maddening... As a leviathan, I had the power of the universe in the palm of my hand, but not the sanity to use it. Now, I have the sanity to seek my dreams with true direction and purpose, but not the power... Or the freedom, Thank you Nephthys."

Not to mention the expanding wall of death was making inter-dimensional travel not only dangerous, but nearly impossible.

Still, if max was immortal, he'd find a way to make it work.

A maniacal laughter filled the room.

"Child, you do have quite the sense of humor!"

He scoffed.

"I wasn't trying to be funny..."

His demeanor was cold as he glared at the dark being known as Nephthys, who had just entered the room.

She placed a long slender finger under his chin, the razor sharp nail drawing blood.

Max winced as she trailed up his cheek with the same finger.

"But that is why its funny! Silly child..."

He felt his heart pounding in his chest, as the nail leered ever so close to his now mortal eyes.

The left one, to be exact.

A darkness now echoed in the Nephthys' voice.

"You want to be strong! So strong... in the eyes of one you can never hold. Oh, the eyes though... The EYES!"

She plunged her index finger into Max's left eye, his chest lurched up as he screamed in pain.

She broke out into another maniacal fit of laughter.

"Now THAT'S comedy!"

She yanked the finger out of his eye, and traced her tongue across the razor sharp tip.

Her face became more serious.

"You will learn quickly that your little words will only lead to your own suffering... it would be a shame if I were forced to kill such a ripe and ready pupil... Well, the second one that is!"

She laughed even harder as max shivered, fluids and blood leaking out of his left eye socket.

She spun toward him in a furious rage.

"You will forget about that FLESHY UGLY little WORM! Do I make myself clear!?"

"Yes ma'am." He replied, not wanting to lose the other eye.

She let out a loud and monstrous scream, slamming her hands against his shoulders, her bladed fingers plunging into them.

Max gritted his teeth together, screams still escaping his lips.

her fingers might as well be dripping with acid.

She giggled softly.

"I think you meant to say Milady..."

"Y-Yes... M-Milady." He whimpered.

Mortal bodies felt a LOT more pain than any immortal body he had experienced...

This pain was accompanied by fear. Because she could actually kill him now.

She ripped her fingers out of his shoulders, the barbed sides sending excruciating pain through his upper-body.

She grimaced.

"I do hate it when they are sniveling..."

Max felt the shackles on his wrists disappear as his knees hit the cold and jagged ground.

"Come now." She said coldly.

A light filled the room as she morphed into a more aesthetically pleasing form.

"Before I can bring you back into the ranks of immortality, I must train your mortal body in the ways of my art. Mortality lends itself to a less careless manner, yes?"

He stood, his knees wobbling, and his head light from loss of blood.

"Yes ma- Milady..."

She cocked her head to the side, staying turned away from him.

A dark and bitter laugh escaped her lips.

"Yes, child... you are lucky I like you."

His eyes widened, tears and blood streaming down his face.

 _Hiro... Please, tell me you can hear me._

 _Tell me you're safe!_

 _..._

 _Please! PLEASE!_

 _Oh god... What will she do? The spirits will haunt her without my protection!_

Max felt a searing pain melt through the back of his skull...

Nephthys phased behind him, using the palm of her hand to emit some kind of magic into him.

"Maxim! I TOLD YOU TO FORGET HER!" She screeched.

 _No! NO! Hiro, why can't I hear you!? Hiro! Are you even alive!? I made a MISTAKE! I SHOULD HAVE NEVER COME HERE!_

He fell to his knees again, an almost deafening pain coursing through his body.

 _Hiro! HIRO-!_

 _..._

 _Hiro... I am so sorry I left you._

 _I'm sorry Hiro..._

 _I'm sorry._

 _..._

Hiro was lying underneath the partial shade of a patch of tall trees, Emi lying down next to her.

Nori had just finished healing Emi, the more severely injured of the two.

She had taken the brunt of that spell, acting as a landing pad for Hiro and Nori.

Nori let out a breath of relief, moving onto Hiro's fractured wrist and massively concussed head.

"I am glad that out of the three of us, I stayed conscious. Everyone is going to be just fine..."

She made a side glance toward Emi, and felt the blood rush to her face.

She quickly looked away.

 _No! Nori, stop that._

 _(Emika... She's just so...)_

 _No. I refuse to finish that thought._

 _(Curvy...)_

 _Illiterate_ _._

 _(So!? Does that make her a bad person now?)_

 _No. Just less attractive._

 _(Oh, come on. She's just the kind I like...)_

 _Dammit. It's improper._

 _(Charming...)_

 _Vulgar._

 _(She saved my life. I shouldn't be so mean.)_

 _Fair enough. I am just... Grateful, yes, that's it!_

 _(Grateful? Yes. Horny? Yes as well!)_

 _Well, WHO CAN BLAME ME!? I grew up in a church town._

 _I was barred from practically everything remotely phallus shaped, save the broom I used to clean the house with._

 _A brick wall could make me horny._

 _(Ha that's funny... 'Oh WALL! Such voluptuous curves!')_

 _Curves...?_

 _DAMMIT!_

 _..._

"Um... Nori? A-Are you Okay? You look REALLY mad."

Her focus now in check, she saw that Hiro was awake.

She shook her head.

"Oh, I'm fine... I was just thinking. I am glad you're well."

Hiro gave a worried look.

"Thank you by the way... Yeah, there's a lot to think about. I guess everyone was separated... Well, I guess Eiji wasn't..."

 _Wait... Eiji..._

 _EIJI! He was the only one unaffected by the spell!_

Hiro grabbed Nori's shoulders.

"Nori! I-I think Niku has Eiji, I'm sure of it!... God, after what Niku and Amaya did to max, I-!"

Nori grabbed her hands.

"Hiro, you need to calm down. I understand that the situation is grave... The sooner we collect ourselves, the faster we can set a solid plan into action. that means there is that much more time for things to go right, okay?"

Hiro's face was slightly paled, but she nodded.

"Okay..."

She looked down.

"Max... Is he even alive? I mean, really though..."

Nori looked away.

 _If I know anything about Nephthys, by now he may wish he were dead..._

Nori gave a deep sigh.

"Yes, Max is probably still alive..."

Hiro shook her head.

"But, it doesn't make any sense... if he was still here I could hear his thoughts."

"That actually makes perfect sense." Said Nori.

"Nephthys is a jealous Arch Demoness with incredible illusion and glamouring magic. Not to mention she has a talent for using those claws of hers as lethal weapons, both magically and physically. If she doesn't want you to hear him, you wont hear him."

Hiro felt a twisting pain in her chest.

 _The two closest to family that I have left are being torn away from me..._

 _Mom and dad, forever separated._

 _...They could be dead by now._

 _My future sisters... I'll never meet them._

 _Shisuta and Karo, like my aunt and uncle._

 _My actual uncle, Kahn._

 _Eiji's parents, and..._

 _Boh and his new friend Onna too. Swallowed by the wall._

 _Now all I had left was Eiji and Max..._

 _DAMMIT! WHY!?_

 _I NEVER ASKED FOR THIS!_

Hiro burst into silent sobs.

"Every-Everyone is slipping away! Just, why...? I-I just wanted things to get better. I wanted to go to the blood roads, and then go back home, and be okay again. I should have never had such high hopes..."

Nori wrapped her arms around Hiro.

"Don't say that! We'll make it through, and I'll help in any way I can! Remember what Eiji said!? He said to keep going! Don't lose hope."

 _-Hiro...-_

 _What!? who are you!?_

 _-Over here Hiro! HIRO!-_

 _*She CAN hear us! I KNEW IT!*_

 _-Just wait... She can see us too.-  
_

Hiro looked around and saw hoards of spirits starting to swarm her.

She grabbed the sides of her head.

"No, please go away... You're hurting my head! Stop!"

"Leave her alone!" Nori yelled.

"Unless you have anything useful to say, you need to leave now. Is that clear."

Around half of the spirits left.

The others seemed to be angry.

 _*You can't tell me what to do! You fucking house wench!*_

Emi shot up.

"That's IT! I'm not puttin' up with that shit! Nobody's gonna talk to Nori that way! I'll summon yer grimey head, skull fuck it with my daggers, 'n feed it to my HELLHOUND as'a SNACK!"

Hiro slapped a palm to her face.

"So you picked up on the "skull fuck" line? Awesome. My demons are helping you expand your colorful vocabulary..."

Emi laughed.

"Right!? Ya know, it's pretty great!"

Hiro gave an annoyed sigh.

"Of course it is..."

Nori's eye twitched.

 _All of those lessons... put to waste!_

 _HOW HARD DID YOU HIT YOUR HEAD EMIKA!?_

 _You were doing SO WELL!_

 _I suppose for right now it works out well. She does sound very intimidating._

"Glad to see you are feeling your usual self Emika..."

Emi gave a long stretch.

"Me too! And I know you healed me, so now I owe ya!"

The surrounding spirits began to cackle loudly.

 _*Such big talk, from such a feisty little tyke! how cute...*_

Emi stood, and shook her fist at them.

"Who're ya callin' LITTLE!?"

Emi pricked the tip of her finger with one of her daggers, and slammed her hand against the ground.

A summoning circle lit up beneath her.

"Ya see...? Just a little blood from some 'little tyke', and I got'a spell ready to cast with your ugly mug all over the inside a'my hellhound's mouth! ya wanna fuck with me NOW!?"

The remaining spirits fled, leaving Nori and Hiro standing speechless.

Emi was silent for a moment, and then burst out into a fit of laughter.

"Really!? They fell fer THAT!? Holy shit! Those idiots! That was fun..."

Hiro looked at her.

"Thanks Em, you really did scare them off."

Both Nori and Emi turned to face her.

Nori spoke.

"Now, Hiro... you do realize that out of all of us here, you are the most susceptible to the magic of spirits."

Emi chimed in.

"Yeah, I noticed that too. Al'a... all of, them ghosts... hold on, gimme a second."

Nori gave a silent cheer.

 _YEESSS! She' still TRYING!_

 _Yay._

 _Go Emika!_

"Oh! All of those ghosts! That's what it was... Anyhow, they're tryin' to possess you. Those one's were stupid, but I know there's at least one nasty one on yer hide. She's the one with them... those... amazing insults of hers, but she's trouble for sure."

Hiro nodded.

"I know, that's why I'm on the blood roads. I need training in order to protect myself."

"True." Nori replied.

"However, you also need to learn to be more assertive. You see, you and I are opposites in this regard. You are able to show your strength far better than I in your conscious realm, but the spirits seem to take to you as a fish does to water. I am less assertive in this conscious realm, but I can hold my own against the spirits if need be, and Emika is far more advanced in both areas than you or I-"

"Then that settles it!" Emi exclaimed.

"Now I'm the teacher! now, we'd best be searchin' for the others, re-gerping, all that jazz-"

Nori fumed.

"EMIKA! For one, the word is 'regrouping'. secondly, I AM THE TEACHER. I have one thing that neither of you seem to possess, and that is FOCUS."

She looked over to Hiro.

"Hiro, as we search for the others, and thank you for that input Emika."

"Yer welcome." Emi mumbled, almost begrudgingly.

Nori continued.

"Hiro, you will more than likely run into a plethora of spirits similar to the last bunch along the way, as well as the poltergeist who will most definitely try to swallow you."

Hiro physically gulped.

The remaining Leviathans approached.

They watched as Nori spoke to Hiro.

"Both Emika and I will help to get you as far as being able to ward off the average malevolent spirit, and we will help you keep the darker one at bay for as long as possible. With Emika's bold enthusiasm, and my own personal knowledge, I don't believe there's anyone I can't teach."

This seemed to brighten up both Hiro and Emi's eyes, filling them with hope.

"SHE IS THE LIBRARIAN!" Wisnton screamed.

"LIBRARIAN!" The other's preach screamed.

The three girls turned toward the leviathans.

Emi ran toward Fred, and wrapped him in a tight hug.

"Dammit Fred, I was WORRIED!"

Fred hugged Emi back.

"I am sorry I was late, Emika... You were in need of a healer, until recently."

Emi looked over at Nori and smiled.

"You can thank Nori for that."

Nori blushed softly.

"Well, it was nothing really, I-!"

There were about 30 leviathans left.

They all crowded around Nori, lifting her in the air.

"LIBRARIAN! LIBRARIAN!" They cheered.

Talin interupted, his voice somber.

"Master Eiji is in danger. Max, is also in danger."

Hiro froze.

"How bad is it?" She asked.

Talin looked away.

"I'm afraid it is fairly grave for both, though both are alive."

Emi took a moment to think.

 _Now, it looks like two of our friends are trapped in two different directions._

 _If we all go after just one person, the other one might not make it._

 _We could split up, but that divides our power._

 _We will need our maximum strength to fight both Niku and Amaya._

 _Also, I want to make sure that we're all prepared to either fight Nephthys or just get max out of there alive..._

 _...Which may involve fighting Nephthys._

 _If we find the others, our chances of success are the highest..._

 _But, that might cut it close for time, if the situation is that bad._

Fred spoke up, bouncing directly off of Emi's thoughts.

"We could always split into three groups. The first two would be simply scouting out the locations of both Eiji and max. The third group would be gathering the others. I suggest that Nori, Winston, Talin, and 8 other leviathans gather the others. Hiro and 10 of the leviathans scout for Eiji, And You, I and 9 of the leviathans scout for Max and Nephthys' location. That way, when Talin finds the others he can mentally signal all of the other leviathans, as well as pick up on all of our locations. Then, Nori, Winston, and 4 other leviathans head toward us, and Talin with 4 other leviathans head toward Hiro's group. If i were to split up the others, I would suggest Sora, Freya, and Satoshi go toward Hiro's group. That leaves Uwayaku-Kuhn, ChikaKū, Kaihn, and Navin for us."

Hiro gaped. "Wow. How many souls have you harvested Fred!?"

Winston sighed sadly...

"He ate all of the cake... and all of the pie. LUCKY FRED!"

The leviathans began to cry loudly.

"HE'S SO AMAZING!"

Emi spoke.

"Fred, you're a GENIUS!... That last part though, I can already see that going south, and fast. The others wont agree to being split up that way."

Hiro thought about that.

"Yeah... That's true. That might cause some fighting between us, and would slow things down."

Fred sighed.

"You have a point... I split them up based on highest chance of survival, so the worst part is, there's no better division than this. to start in our three groups, Nori is the most talented diplomat here, and will be able to effectively convince the others of this plan. Talin will be able to update us on the varied reactions and responses. as for the division the third group, I based it off of our best chances at triumph. Eiji is in a far less lethal situation than Max, however, the situation is moving much more quickly and steadily to his possible demise. Max's situation is one of a slow moving nature, but is entirely lethal. We need Nori as the more powerful healer, Uwayaku-Kuhn as the more powerful blood-syphoner, Kaihn as a powerful blood-syphoner and high mage, ChikaKū for obvious reasons, and Navin. That boy is powerful... He unknowingly has time in the palm of his hand, which is something not even Nephthys contains. The group scouting for Eiji will be small, fast, and more efficient. Sora is needed as a healer, Satoshi is fairly intelligent in his own right, Freya is a highly skilled warrior. Hiro you are a strong blood-syphoner with powerful shifting capabilities that lend to your magic. your pixie shift is your most agile form, which will be needed."

"That makes sense..." Said Hiro softly.

"Then I suppose it's the best course of action." Said Nori.

"I do hope the 10 leviathans can keep the spirits at bay..."

Hiro nodded.

"They can, and I'll be fine. Since Sora is going to be heading toward us, she might be able to make a salve that can help. I can't be distracted if we're going to help Eiji."

Emi shook her head.

"That martyr thing yer plannin'? Don't. I got this."

She drew her dagger plunged it into her hand.

She slammed her hand to the ground, and a summoning circle quickly flashed below her.

Moments later, a soft glowing orb began circling the top of Hiro's head.

Fred took Emi's hand, and healed it.

"What is this...?" Hiro asked.

"That's a sprite. It'll guard ya from spirits, but it only lasts about five days. look fer Sora first, okay?"

Hiro wrapped Emi in a hug.

"Thanks Em, you're a good friend."

Emi smiled softly.

She had never had good friends, so this meant a lot to her.

More than anyone could know.

Emi felt slight tears press against her eyes that only Fred could notice.

 _Fred..._

 _Hiro, and Nori._

 _The Leviathans..._

 _Eiji._

 _God those two kids..._

 _Hiro and him sure do make a cute pair._

 _Max... I hope he's okay._

 _And Freya, still alive because of these friends._

 _Gramps and Sora too._

 _I never thought I would have so many friends!_

She gave a soft sniff, slightly dropping her composure.

"Well, I'm glad I could help." She said with a nod.

Nori hugged Emi as well.

"You stay safe okay!? Make sure Nephthys doesn't see you camping near her grounds... It would be a shame to lose you my friend."

In spite of herself, Emi felt tears streaming down her face.

"L-Lets make this fast b-before I get nauseous!"

The two both laughed softly.

"It's alright Emi..." Said Nori.

"We'll be back soon."

Emi turned deep red.

"It's a real shame that yer..."

She caught herself.

"N-Nevermind. Let's just get going."

Fred put a hand on her shoulder..

"Yes, we shouldn't waste any more time. Our friends are still in danger after all."

The others nodded in agreement.

 _"Emi... I will always be your friend."_

 _I know Fred... You are all so amazing._

 _"You know she likes you, right?"_

 _WHAT!? You mean N-Nori!? I doubt it..._

 _"She DOES though! Isn't it obvious!?"_

 _Well... No?_

 _Let's just head to where Max is, and hope to hell that Nephthys is asleep._

 _"I don't think she does sleep."_

 _Shit._

They all split up into separate groups. The leviathans in the first two groups were already making fast work of discerning both Max's and Eiji's location. The random blurbs of death matter, however, did not make the information easy to sift through.

In the third group, Nori was trying to remember the directions that the others flew off in in perspective to herself.

This was no easy mission, as they all knew well, and the weight of this burden was starting to ensue...

...The tension was just beginning to rise.

This venture so valiantly set in their hearts, would prove to be more than anyone bargained for.


	19. Chapter 19

Chapter 19: Blood Connections

We were wandering in this seemingly endless maze, trying to find the hole that Shisuta had described.

This place was the size of a planet... I had my doubts about us being able to find it in a timely manner.

It was hard to focus, due to the recent burdens I had piled upon what I hope will not become a mountain.

Eiji, in a world of danger...

Nothing I can do right now, and trust me, I tried.

Linn knows about that part of it.

She still doesn't know about the state of her unborn children.

Guilt began to twist inside me.

 _Using your own son as a ploy to hide the truth from Linn!? Damned coward... You should be ashamed of yourself!_

 _{Haku... Don't beat yourself up. It was a practical move. The grief of her loss would only slow her down, and none of you can afford that right now. I put a filter in place... That way certain thoughts only reach me.}_

 _Loki... Why are you helping me...?_

 _{Well, I assumed we were friends, considering you saved my life. You're smart Haku, and I don't want people to mess with that.}_

I could sense truth in what she was saying.

 _Thank you Loki... Your father would have been proud to see how strong you've grown._

I could feel her heart warm...

I felt my stomach turn.

I had to tell her about her father.

Loki has been a good friend to me, and at this point it would be wrong to mislead her.

 _Loki... There's something you need to know._

 _{Yes? What is it?}_

 _Loki, your... Father... He's-_

 _{I know...}_

 _You know!? Really...? How?_

 _{I took a moment to scry into the dreamstone amulet when Kahn wasn't looking. Before we opened the portal... I can only assume it's lost now... Sad really, it used to be my favorite pass time. }_

 _Loki... I'm so sorry._

 _{Haku, do I sound angry to you? I appreciate the gesture, I needed the security because I was venerable at the time. It was a nice break from the hard truth... Sometimes people need that. I learn this more and more around the others. You guys sure are something, you know that?}_

 _[Something... Haha! You pathetic puddle of lies! It's all a lie! Even your hell was a lie! An illusion held in the palm of some wench's hand, and you ate it up like the pig you are! Loki... I thought you were better than that.]_

 _Loki... Who is that!_

 _..._

 _Now I'm worried._

I had to stop for a breath, yet again I rested my hands on my knees, and stopped for a moment.

 _Damn! I've been getting tired! This place... It shouldn't be like the last place! Wait..._

Chihiro put a hand on my shoulder.

"Haku, you've been getting tired a lot today. Is everything okay?"

I shook my head.

"I'm not sure... Something feels strange. "

 _|Haku! You need to get everyone out of there!|_

 _Shisuta, what's going on!?_

 _|I'm afraid it's partially my doing. I apologize Haku. When that oversized mushroom blew out the indestructible wall, a current of air began rapidly pouring into the planet... Or rather, a lack of air... This place is inverse after all.|_

 _So we are all slowly suffocating... Lovely._

 _We have to find a way to reach the central portal before the vacuum space fills this planet._

 _|Precisely.|_

 _Let's make sure that we leave as little destruction as possible behind the next time yes?_

 _|Alright! Fine... Explosion withdrawals are in my near future.|_

 _"It's okay love! We'll blow up a blue pigeon later."_

 _|YAAY! I love you Karo!|_

 _A blue PIGEON!?_

 _|Blue pigeons... They are native birds here, and seem to have the same properties as a red toad found in purgatory. Karo showed me the bird with his eyes, and I had my suspicions... Which were unsurprisingly correct!|_

 _Of course they were._

 _Now, do you have any other ideas...? For example, how to escape before we DIE? That would be an excellent start._

 _|Perhaps you could scale the outer wall until you are slightly above the portal, then launch yourselves from said wall, and hold each other tightly as Chihiro uses her mana drawing magic to draw you all toward the portal. It's worth a shot.|_

 _Shisuta, well or not, you are a GENIUS!_

 _|I MOST CERTAINLY AM!|_

 _"Why didn't you think of something like that earlier!?"_

 _|Karo, you know exactly why.|_

 _"You... have a point."_

I turned to the others.

"Linn, Chihiro, we need to start scaling the wall."

"What!? Why?" Said Linn incredulously.

"I can't be breaking my damn back! I have three kids in there, and they aren't exactly weightless Haku..."

I felt another pang of guilt.

She would have to realize that they were dead sooner or later... She may go into labor, or rather, miscarry.

I felt my mind slip for am moment...

...Three pairs of eyes, barely seeing the edgings of light in a dark room...

The womb.

They were still alive!?

 _Of COURSE! The lack of oxygen had them to the point where they were almost dead, but they are still alive!_

 _(SERIOUSLY!? Thank goodness! Haku, I'm Gonna be a father!)_

 _Yes, but we had better move fast. If we don't get to a safe place, we have no chance of healing your children._

 _Not to mention all of us including Chihiro and Linn will die._

 _{Haku is absolutely correct. Though I am not completely sure that the children are recoverable at this point... though, I could be wrong.}_

 _Loki, I was wondering the same thing._

 _Are you okay? What happened earlier?_

 _That voice..._

 _Who was she...?_

 _+Loki, have you been hearing 'Freya' again? I wish you would have told me...+_

 _...Who are you?_

 _Oh, right, you're Katsu..._

 _Katsu!? What are you DOING HERE!?_

 _Oh, NEVERMIND._

 _I just need to keep the others moving and quickly._

"Linn, I understand your concern, but... this place is losing air, and it is yet another threat to your children."

 __Haku... I understand what he's doing, but that is giving her false hopes. He isn't cruel... So what's going on...?__

 _Chihiro!?_

 _Oh, So you are a part of this now too._

 _Look, Linn's children are alive, but just barely._

 _I was being honest love._

 _No, I promise you I am not that cruel!_

 __Thank goodness! I love you... But, this place is losing air then. We have to move fast.__

"Haku's right Linn... Here, I'll carry you."

I spoke up.

"Actually, Chihiro I'm going to need you to-"

 _Wait! She can't mana draw..._

 _We switched powers._

 _Damn... This is going to be harder than I had expected._

Chihiro seemed to pick up on Shisuta's plan.

 __Well... Shit. Here, I really hope this works!__

She placed her hand to my forehead, giving me all of the information she thought I needed on mana drawing.

"Thanks!" I said.

Linn looked at us with utter confusion.

"Wait, can you read each other's minds now or something? That resembled a Lumina mind hive, and... Fuck me. Not this again!"

 _~Shisuta TAKE YOUR WELL BACK! DAMMIT!~_

 _|Well then GIVE ME MY WELL BACK YOU!|_

 _~Oh... hi there Shisuta.~_

The group made a collective sigh.

I held the bridge of my nose.

"Now that we're all in each other's heads... Let's go before we all die."

It looked like this hive mind was expanding.

We began scaling the wall, keeping a lookout for traps and mushrooms.

Chihiro gave a tired sigh.

"Linn, you're REALLY heavy."

She looked down.

"Yeah, I'm sorry... I-I just..."

She burst into tears.

"I'm sorry I'm so USELESS RIGHT NOW!"

She continued to sob.

 __I remember that... You're definitely pregnant.__

 _~Th-Thanks Chihiro!~_

 _I would agree._

 _~SHUT UP HAKU! You don't understand...~_

 _I was literally just agreeing with Chihiro!_

 _And, how do you know?_

 _I can read her mind._

 _Maybe you're just SEXIST._

 _~HAKU! I'LL-~_

 _{CHILDREN!... Be quiet, or else.}_

 _Ugnh... ~Uggnnhh!...~_

 __Thank you Loki.__

 _Hey! ~Hey!~_

 _...She started it._

We were almost at a good spot, just about where we needed to be for me to use Chihiro's mana drawing ability to get us out of here.

I nodded.

"Everyone hold on, I've never done this before, and I'm scared out of my mind..."

"You'll be alright..." Said Chihiro, attempting to soothe me.

"Just remember to focus, and to let go when we near the portal."

Linn sighed.

"Haku, if you kill me I will find you in the afterlife and kick your ass. Just throwing it out there."

 _|She has my well... I will find you.|_

 _(My children are with her Haku... and I'll help her find you!)_

 _~Thank you Kuhn! You are such a gentleman.~_

I physically gulped.

"God dammit... Let's just get this over with."

I used mana drawing magic to connect to the well, and launched us off of the stoney vine covered wall.

Linn let out a terrified scream.

"DON'T DROP ME!"

As the well drew closer to us, Eiji slipped into my vision.

 _"No... You can't! Stop! STOP! DON'T!"  
_

 _EIJI!_

I continued to hold onto the magic, the portal rapidly approaching me.

 _"Not Neon! NOT NEON! STOOPP! NOO!"_

 _Eiji! Here, take this._

 _GET OUT OF THERE!_

 _"F-Father...?"_

 _"No... He can't be. Who is...?"_

 _"That's not my name, is it...?"_

 _Eiji...? SON!_

 _"M-My name is Jiro... Name... Name is... Jiro."_

 _EEIIJIII!_

We slammed into the portal...

I had forgotten to let go of the magic.

...My vision began to fade into the darkness of this abyss.

It was over, wasn't it.

...

His eyes now opening, hands crusted with his own dried blood...

Eyes stained with forgotten tears.

Jiro sat up, wondering where exactly he was.

He sat on a hard dirt floor, his back stinging and aching with pain.

He could not see much of anything else, because his eyes hadn't adjusted to the dark yet.

He heard voices in the next room.

"B-But, you CAN'T! Master Kōrudo I delivered on my promise! Both Amaya and the boy!"

"That you did Niku... Or perhaps 'Dankon' would suit you better."

A sickening scream filled the area.

"Rise Dankon!"

there was silence for a moment.

"Good... You were by far the easiest to make. Now go! Off with you Dankon!"

A door opened, filling the room with a bright light.

'Dankon' was pushed into the room, and the room went dark again.

I suppose the man uses your name to control you...

...Why does that seem so familiar?

The soft voice of a woman spoke.

"H-How long is he going to keep us in here?"

A man sighed.

"Well Ame, he keeps us in here until we are sent on our missions."

"What kind of missions?" She prodded.

"The kind where we kill people." He answered, almost monotone.

All were silent.

Then, Dankon spoke up.

"This room is dark."

Jiro scoffed.

"Yeah, it is. The sky is also blue, the sun is bright, and fire is hot, so don't touch it. Anything else?"

The room broke out into quiet snickering laughter.

Jiro didn't exactly know why, but he really hated Dankon.

He broke into murmurings he could no longer remember.

"This is all your fault... your fault... even... even her. You sick bastard!..."

He fell into blackness, and darkened bitter laughter escaped his lips.

"Oh, it's THAT kid!" A woman whispered.

"Yeah, he was barely able to be controlled. Even by master Kōrudo!... He's probably really fucked up." a younger man replied.

Threads shot out of Jiro's fingers, dragging a whimpering Dankon toward him.

"You did something to me... you pathetic pile of slime. Now I can't even remember my own damn name... You stole something from me."

The threads tightened around Dankon, and a series of painful screams filled the room as his bones began to crack.

"That's the master's ability!" one exclaimed.

The group began to mumble quietly in awe.

"I-I didn't DO IT!" Dankon wailed.

"I-I Just-!"

"SHUT UP!" Jiro barked.

"You're going to see how your bones look like plunging through your fingertips... It's almost like when you..."

He withdrew his magic, his threads slipping back into his body...

He wasn't even sure why he knew how to do that.

Dankon was a sobbing writhing mess.

A young woman began to giggle cheerfully in the room.

"YAY! Another crazy! And I thought I was the ONLY ONE!"

She continued to break into fits of laughter.

"Seizui's at it again...?" Ame said nervously.

"Yeah, she is isn't she?" The same man answered.

"It's not her fault though... The master is her father, and she's his 'favorite'... I hope I'm never his favorite."

Jiro felt a pang of sorrow for the girl.

What unspeakable tortures she must have undergone to become that way.

Her energy seemed to dance across the room, and a hint of chaos filled the space.

Like static red, her laughter shocked the room with an almost painful burst of electricity.

Jiro could feel every ounce of her pain.

He didn't know why.

"Seizui...?" He said softly.

"You're feeling crowded aren't you? Come over here, there's a lot more space."

His eyes had begun to adjust to the darkness, and he could see the crowds of people huddled in the dark stone corner.

Seizui seemed to launch herself from the crowd, and land gracefully on the the ground next to Jiro.

She flopped onto the floor, her arms and legs sprawled out.

"Thank you Mr. angel!" She said pleasantly.

 _Hiro..._

 _(Hiro...? who?)_

 _Angels... and Hiro..._

 _My angel._

 _(Her... she seems so familiar.)_

 _Where are you Hiro...?_

 _(That name...)_

 _(I know you, Hiro...)_

"Hiro..." He mumbled aloud.

"This place... This horrible place. Please don't find me... I am not Eiji..."

A horrible pain shot through his back, and he collapsed to the ground.

 _I am Jiro... and I do not know you._


	20. Chapter 20

Chapter 20: Dancing into Darkness, The Spark of a Paradox

The dining table was adorned with many precious jewels, the darkly stained wood beautifully embellished and carved...

...This alone was breathtaking, minus the gaud and jewels of course.

Max would have mused on this fact, but his mind was currently frozen in a state of defense.

She could read his mind.

Nephthys poised herself upright in the red velvet and white laced chair.

Atrocious.

The chair was truly atrocious.

She continued to stare at Max, only pausing to sip her tea.

Max hated tea.

"Maxim...?" She asked, her voice sultry and silken.

"Isn't this dress I'm wearing just lavishing?"

He spoke, making sure not to mentally note the hideously bright red, overly poofy dress ridden with rainbow pearls.

"Yes, Milady. It is... stunning."

She glared, her dress almost paled in comparison to her blazing face.

"I did not ask you if it was stunning, Maxim... I asked for LAVISHING!"

Again!?

 _Fuck me..._

Her angered features twisted into a seductive grin.

"You see, I would... However, you are not yet old enough for my specific... tastes... yet."

He decided to go with it, despite the vomit threatening to fill his mouth.

"I will relish the day I finally get to handle such a delicate yet strong form... and all while wearing such an incredibly lavishing dress... It's almost too much to handle."

She clapped her hands, practically dancing with glee.

"Excellent!"

So she is a fan of adjectives...

Good to know.

Max was almost impressed with himself... for a mortal.

All of that, and his eye was still in excruciating amounts of pain.

She stood, and phased over to him.

Her face was close to his ear.

"Just remember this though..." She whispered.

"I do the handling."

Max physically gulped.

She snapped her fingers loudly, with an almost abnoxious flare.

A soft lulling tune began to sound in the room.

She gracefully extended a hand to Max, a playful grin dancing on her lips.

"Maxim... I trust you know how to dance, yes?"

He nodded.

"Yes Milady, I certainly do."

He took her hand, and they began to dance.

It started simply, a waltz and some classical music that seemed to drone on forever. Nephthys noticed his boredom.

She laughed.

"Yes, this is quite awful isn't it?"

She changed her form, her dress now a beautifully veiled lavender piece.

An ethnic song began to play, and it was...

This was ancient Greek, and Max knew exactly what this was.

It was one of his favorite renditions of the aphrodisian veil dance.

Was this even the same Nephthys!?

She pulled him in close, taking his gaze into hers.

"Tóra, xéro óti tha sas arései aftó to Maxim ..."

 _*Now, I know you will like this Maxim...*_

That dialect was Greek.

Max felt himself physically sweating.

"Ágria skatá..."

 _*Holy shit...*_

They began to dance, and it was a flurry of passion and sweeping grace, her veil practically shot sparks at such incredible speeds, and yet there was such grace in these flaming wisps of firey... just...

Good god.

Wow.

Max was excited now.

He began to follow her every step, surprised at how his mortal feet could keep up with such a decadent display.

He became lost in her eyes...

He wrapped his arms around her, preparing a very special maneuver...

That is, until she shoved him off, and back - handed him.

"You PATHETIC WORM!" She screeched.

Max felt excruciating amounts of pain.

"No! NO!" He screamed.

He dreaded what was next.

"Fred! Eiji! TALIN! SOMEBODY PLEASE!-!"

His heart fell into despair. This place was agony.

She neared ever so closer, darkness emanating from her core.

"No, Please! Hiro! Someone! HIRO!"

His body and mind fell into an unbearably horrible state, and he now wished he would not have called to her.

...

Kahn fell to the hard dirt ground again, his head throbbed with pain.

"Aghh...! I... I need a break seed child... this... this is all too much... just too much..."

Kahn had continued to converse with this grand entity, and attempting to keep such a mighty force stable... or rather, unstable, was no easy feat!

He had initially inquired on the safety of his friends, and received more knowledge than he bargained for.

Haku... he was especially worried for Haku right now.

He had discovered quite a few things about this world they were in, as well as the nature of the other worlds, and how they connect to the seed world.

The seed child groaned with dismay.

 _"But Kahn! It's so simple! You're in the doll house, and the other dolls are invisible..."_

 _(You exist because I see you... though technically I am not supposed to exist. I am now the fabric of all that was ever in being... it is all here... yet, I was born through a paradox... a mind that is mine which I bore who bore me...)_

The seed child was but a child, but her words came with whispers which imbued knowledge.

Kahn let out a scream, blood beginning to trickle down his nose.

 _(born of her... born of me... Who was born of me...!)_

His eyes rolled back, and his body went limp as his mind flew into a vision...

...

A room was set before him...

His feet gliding across the walnut floors of a softly colored room.

There were an assortment of pillows, and soft fuzzy blankets which were neatly made and folded on the large and extravagant bed.

In the center of the room sat a small child, reading a book filled with legends of old...

The child...

This was Loki.

She would soon be subject to a most unspeakable act of sacrifice...

This was the beginning of the loop.

This book...

It was of Freya.

Freya.

This woman is...

A flash of knowledge filled Kahn's vision for a moment, and he saw...

Freya, but she looked just like...

Another flash filled his vision.

This time, it was the two as children.

They were playing a game of catch in the royal court, running a mock and laughing as children often do.

The two would spend their days together, practically inseparable...

Kahn felt a warm smile cross his lips.

 _What a wonderful scene... and... my, she was an adorable child._

The next vision came, and Kahn's heart practically lurched in his chest.

This time, the two were being dragged apart...

They were doing something to Lilith...

Kahn remembered what it was.

He ran toward them.

"No! NO! STOP!"

Her eyes began to roll back, a wretched scream escaping the young lilith's lips.

"Stop this! NO! Lilith! NINA!"

The scene before him disappeared.

Kahn fell to his knees, tears streaming down his face.

"No! N-No... Nina... Love, where are you!? N-Nina... I miss you."

He felt himself shivering.

"It's... So cold here. I just... please, don't touch the blackness..."

The wall was the ultimate death, and Kahn only prayed she hadn't been captured by it.

The seed child appeared before him. She took the form of Loki's child self.

"You... You know her?"

 _(Nina... Lilith)_

He stared for a moment, then nodded.

"I... Yes, I know her."

Tears filled the child's eyes.

"Th-Then, what are you doing here!"

 _(The child does not wish to see you unhappy... You will be returned to the noise of non existence.)_

"You... You need to go home! NOW!"

Kahn felt himself plunged into darkness...

A familiar presence holding him together.

...

I felt a presence enter my domain...

It was Kahn.

"Wait, WHAT!? Kahn!? Loki... really? Why are you sending him to the Warrior's Respite!?"

The seed child's voice groaned with annoyance.

"Because Kahn needs to go home! Remember silly? DUH!"

I rolled my eyes, catching Kahn before he was completely destroyed.

"Hey! HEY! What was THAT FOR!?" Screamed the child.

"Look at the resort, and tell me what you see." I said flatly.

She was silent for a moment.

"OH! I see now... Thank you Haku."

I sent him toward the blood roads, on Hiro's path toward Eiji...

I know that if they were to free Eiji from his captors, Kahn increased his chances. Besides, the blood roads were probably one of the safest places in the universe right now.

The irony of this was almost appallingly funny.

A deadly chasm of nearly no escape, but this also meant that there was more time before the wall swallowed it.

Yes, I was still alive...

Well, for the most part anyway.

My consciousness could shift now, and I was only kept alive for a very specific reason.

Now I was forced to wander here, waiting, and hoping to hell the others would figure this out sooner rather than later.

 _Dammit... I mean, the woman deserved it. How in the world did I manage to 'break the universe' again!?_

 _It was my river... That awful wretch of a mother was lucky she drowned and was absorbed. There are much worse fates... ask Loki._

While wandering in the depths of the darkness, I stumbled upon some disconcerting information.

Upon sacrificing Loki's body to the lowest plain, she had been promised Loki's fortune...

Or rather, her stars.

Loki's birth imprint held much fortune, a fortune that her mother felt would be better suited for her. She had already been harvesting some of the child's fortune as it was, but it was never enough...

She had to face the fact that one day, there would be repercussions, and the balance would shift back into it's rightful place. With Loki, where her fortune and imprint were originally intended to manifest.

This sacrifice allowed Loki's mother to take full advantage of her daughter's stars, but with a heavy price...

...A price she would have paid, had I not destroyed her.

Loki being separated from her destiny, did so happen to fill a gap in the lowest plane...

She was meant to be returned from the depths of despair, brought up into the heavens after the karmic destruction of her mother... which never happened because of me.

The excess energy known as fate, was mixed with the inevitable void and compounded itself in size...

There is only one known gap in the universe, and it is heavily guarded by the heavens...

Or it was, until the impossible happened.

...The gap was the throne room, and Loki's time loop filled the space.

It was there that our clock was set...

A shell of existence, encasing this core of destruction, just waiting to burst from its seed.

 _Hurry Loki... I'll try my best on my end, but only you can fix this..._

I felt a mischievous smile cross my lips...

"However, my best has just increased... by at least ten-thousand percent."

I have the power of the void in the palm of my hand...

Or perhaps you could take from this, that the void is my river.

And I...?

It's spirit.


	21. Chapter 21

_****It's funny, you know I had the idea for this when I was 17 years old... Just journaling away my ideas in a black composition notebook. I spent hours and hours just fantasizing over the plot line, no doubt it has changed quite a bit since then.**_

 _ **I was so nervous to post it on any kind of fanfiction website, because I was afraid of being labelled and made fun of. We are, after all, our own worst critics.**_

 ** _I tried to post a different one instead at first, based off of the three brothers..._**

 ** _It didnt catch on well, and my other fanfiction was still in the back of my mind._**

 ** _eventually I bit the bullet, and began posting what I had writen at age 18._**

 ** _I am now 20 years of age, and still writing book 3._**

 ** _it is 3:04 in the morning, and old habits (such as sleep deprivation and writing obsession) die hard._**

 ** _thank you my loyal and wonderful fans!_**

 ** _and as always,_**

 ** _Enjoy Chapter: 21! :)**_**

Chapter 21: Pecking Orders

Water droplets stood stagnate in the air, a decadent scene painted in the air around him, frozen in time.

Kaihn, Freya, and Satoshi had made a soft landing in a nearby pond... well, they were about to at least.

Navin was sitting in place, clutching his head.

"Ugghhnnn... what the hell? I jusht... Oh no."

Blood was leaking from the back of his head, and he was massively concussed. At this rate, the time lapse would last an eternity.

"N-Not this again. Damn... Why couldn't you have been there when my mom was swallowed...? Huh?"

He slammed his fist to the ground, leaving an imprint of dust floating in the air.

"HUH!? WHY!? I just... That was my..."

Tears began to well up in Navin's eyes.

"That was my MOM!"

He burst into tears, silent cries escaping him.

 _(M-Mister Prince...? Oh no! You're hurt! What's wrong...? I'm sorry! I did this, didn't I!?)_

Navin was surprised at that.

He doubted the princess, ghost, or whoever she was could do much from where she was... and, why would she?

As far as Navin was concerned, she was the sweetest ghost girl he had ever met.

"Why would you say that!? H-Hey now, don't go and beat yourself up over this. I think you're really sweet princess ghost..."

He heard the child beginning to cry softly.

 _(N-No... You really don't get it do you? Th-That wall... It's mine.)_

Navin held his hands in his head.

"You mean... You're serious!?"

She began to wail.

 _(I didn't know! I can't stop it! Navin... I'm really sorry! I W-WISH I COULD MAKE IT STOP! MAKE IT STOP!)_

Navin thought about it.

"So, you can't control it can you?"

He felt a deep sadness from the loss of his mother, and he was really tempted to snap at her...

...but that would solve nothing.

A wave of dizziness washed over him. He continued to clutch the back of his head.

 _(Navin...? WAIT! Here, HERE! I'll... I'll make you better!)_

A warming glow touched the back of Navin's head, and it stopped hurting.

He let out a small breath.

"Th-Thanks... um... by the way, I'm... no, I guess I'm just sorry you can't control this. Just please... figure it out soon."

A sorrow filled his chest.

He really missed her.

Navin was fairly mild tempered, and truly, Mei was the best mother he could have ever asked for. She was always that way, and not just with Navin.

Everyone loved Mei.

"I... She was... She was so wonderful. I miss her a lot, and I don't know... I just don't know when this pain is going to end! I-I want to listen to Eiji and keep moving forward, but..."

Navin began to recollect the recent events.

"Oh no... EIJI! H-He was left behind with... No way! NO WAY!"

Navin heard a splash sound in the nearby pond where the others had now landed.

They had to find Eiji, and find him soon.

...And knowing Niku? They didn't have much time.

...

A cold and sharp metallic thread plunged through the woman's back, an assortment of jewels and her crimson blood scattering to the floor.

Jiro grimaced as he pulled back his threads.

He hated this job.

I mean, sure, this mark was actually kind of a horrible person...

But Jiro was sure he had been a kinder person than this...

Well, at least at one point he was.

He smiled wickedly at Dankon.

"Hey Dankon, does that look fun to you? Just remember, one day when you think you're safe, you're not."

Dankon seemed to recoil in despair.

Seizui let out a soft giggle.

"Oh Jiro, PLEASE kill him for me! Pretty PRETTY PLEEASSE...? He deserves it. You know he does!"

"D-Don't hurt me!" Dankon screamed.

"Oh for the love of heaven!" Aki yelled.

"Who thought it was a good idea to put YOU three together!?"

"Apparently the master did." Said Ame flatly.

Aki shook his head.

"I swear that man is off his rocker... if he tries this shit one more time, I swear to god I'll-!"

Seizui grabbed him by the neck of his shirt, her eyes glowing brightly.

"You'll WHAT!? Say it worm!"

"N-Nothing I SAID NOTHING!" He said quickly.

Jiro sighed.

"Put him down Seizui, you know it's not worth it."

She gave him a penetrating stare, then dropped Aki, who fell to his knees.

Ame sat next to him.

"I think I know why he put them together at least... Jiro keeps Seizui under control. As for Dankon? The master has kind of a sick sense of humor..."

Aki scoffed. "Yeah, you can say that again!"

Jiro rolled his eyes.

"God, how everyone gossips here... Guys? We need to get back to the fortress before sunrise. I'm not sure why, but it would be best to be prompt, yes?"

Aki stood, and Ame soon followed.

"Yeah, he's right, Ame, let's go."

It seems Aki had taken quite the liking to Ame.

Jiro couldn't say he blamed her, Ame was beautiful after all...

 _(She's definitely not Hiro though...)_

 _Ugh! Who is this Hiro girl!?_

 _(Long black curls, beautiful green eyes... gorgeous...)_

 _So? There are lots of girls with pretty eyes and hair! Seizui is very pretty._

 _So there._

 _(Kind heart, loving soul... headstrong, but that also means she never gives up.)_

 _Obviously not, I can't get her out of my head!_

 _(Hiro...)_

 _Stop._

 _(Hiro, my angel...)_

 _Stop!_

 _(Hiro! HIRO!)_

 _NO! Hiro! HIR-! STOP IT!_

Jiro clutched his head in his hands, his chest expanding and contracting as silent screams escaped his lips.

...

Hiro and nine of the Leviathan's were scouting toward the fortress.

The Leviathans seemed to know where it was well enough, and Hiro was just following them for now.

Emi's spell began to flash again.

"Geeze, I wonder how much trouble I would have had without this?"

Emi's spell was still protecting her, but she hoped whatever was trying to get in wouldn't wear it out...

The Leviathan's let out a low grumble, then faded out of sight.

"Um, hey guys? What's going on?"

No answer.

"Um, HELLO!?" She yelled with annoyance.

A group of people walked up to her.

One of the girls stepped forward.

"There she is! Ha! I knew we'd find her, the little blood meag!"

Hiro felt her face grow hot as the others laughed.

She didn't know why, but the phrase 'blood meag' dripped like poison from her lips.

"Who the fuck are you? And, why does everyone keep calling me a blood meag!? You little punks!"

She let out a condescending laugh.

"My name is Iyana, and I take it you're new to the blood roads?"

Hiro scoffed. "Well, isn't someone full of themselves. I take it you're new to a spiked club to your face?"

She backed up in mock surprise.

"Uh oh! the little meag's gone savage... not like it's unlike a dirty little blood meag to be a savage brute."

The others surrounded her, knives at the ready.

Hiro suddenly realized why the leviathans were hiding.

"Come on, let's show this blood mooch what real magic looks like..."

The leviathans appeared behind the group, thier claws at the ready.

"Trust us, the mistress knows." one stated.

"let us show these lovely young lasses what a half death tastes like."

"LET THEM EAT CAKE!" They all screamed.

Their claws shone with a red and piercing light, and all of the women collapsed to the ground, eyes shining with pain.

..all except Iyana.

She had cast a ward of some kind and left the area in an instant.

The blood roads were a beautiful place, this was true.

This had almost distracted Hiro to the fact that this was also an incredibly dangerous place. To make things even worse, there was some kind of ranking system among the mages, and Hiro was at the butt end of it.

 _No... that's not quite right._

 _Ive dealt with enough blood magic to know that all mages have their specific weaknesses and strengths. This makes us all even._

 _So, what's the deal then...?_

 _Some kind of Pecking order?_

 _The last thing this blood bath needs is fucking mage racists!_

 _That look in her eyes though..._

 _...Pure hatred._

Hiro felt a deep sinking feeling in her chest, and she knew that this wouldn't be the last of Iyana...

...Not by a long shot.

...

Navin had just finished explaining his experience to the others.

Well... there had been several experiences.

Navin was shaking as he relayed this information.

"I-I had no idea who she was... I mean she's... She's really sweet. She seemed just so... so..."

Kaihn put a hand on his shoulder.

"I have no doubt the child is kind. Navin... You must remember that this child is not to blame for her actions. Whatever has overtaken her, she has no control over it. It may just be up to the others to save her, and knowing them? Your little omnipotent friend will be just fine."

Navin relaxed, but Satoshi gave Kaihn a stern look of disapproval.

He loved Mei deeply, and had a hard time forgiving this child, purposeful or not.

He also loved Navin like his own son, and did not want him to be shattered if this didn't work out for him and his 'friend'.

There were many mixed feelings here, but Satoshi decided to pick another battle for another day.

The boy might as well spend his days hoping, considering the potential impending limit to those days.

A deep sorrow filled his chest.

At such a young age, to have experienced what he has, and then to have his own life put on the line.

It was almost too much for Satoshi to carry in his heart, to see such a sight.

To let him dream was the only thing he could let him keep now, so he might as well leave it alone.

He felt himself calm.

Freya shook her head.

"Damn kid... You really are tough. Your mother would be proud, from what I've heard of her."

Navin grinned.

"Yeah, she was tough. I remember... Hmm... that's what it was... ha... hmmm... so green."

Satoshi slapped his palm to his face.

"Navin, son... You were telling a story."

Navin perked up.

"There was this really awesome tree right over there! And it had the prettiest...! Wait..."

Kaihn sighed.

"Navin... Your attention span. There is a deficit there. A blatant deficit."

Navin's eyes widened.

"Eiji! That tree reminded me don't ask how but HE'S IN TROUBLE! We HAVE to find him!"

Now Kaihn's eyes were wide.

"He was the only one unaffected by the spell! I tried to reach for him, but..."

He looked down.

"Damn... That kid. He's never had a break has he!?"

 _*Kaihn! You sick bastard!*_

 _That wasn't me..._

 _(Stop STOP STOP!)_

 _Th-That screaming..._

 _*You did that...*_

 _No... No! NO! It wasn't me! IT WASN'T-!_

 _*YOU TORTURED THEM KAIHN!*_

 _You...? No, another... Not another! STAY THE HELL AWAY FROM ME!_

Freya put a hand on his shoulder.

"Kaihn... are you alright?"

He continued to shake.

She couldn't sense any spirits...

She knew that Kaihn had been affected by one for some time, though to what extent, she was unaware.

She did sense someone... a girl.

She was walking...

No, limping toward them.

A girl of about 12 limped, clutching her wounded side.

She had dark, almost black brunette hair, violet and amber tinged eyes, a thin complexion, and sickly pale skin.

Navin ran toward her.

"Oh - OH MY GOD! Lady you're REALLY bleeding!"

She used her free hand to clutch onto his shoulder.

Her eyes began to glow brightly.

"Dreamwalker... It's... It's really you. Your name is Navin, right?"

He shook his head.

"Introductions can wait. Yes, I'm Navin. Here... let me wrap up that nasty gash. Um..."

He took off his white cotton shirt, and tied it tightly around her wound.

She looked faint, but she was no longer losing blood.

Navin shook his head softly.

"Wow... Who would do such a thing...?"

She began to sob softly.

"M-Monsters... Horrible monsters! This... this woman told them to attack me. She was evil and cruel... She - She killed all of my friends, every last one! DEAD! I was the only survivor you hear me!? THE ONLY SURVIVOR!"

Navin felt a deep pang in his heart for her.

How horrible...

He wrapped her in a soft hug.

She continued to cry softly.

Kaihn stroked her hair softly, whispering comforting words.

"It's all going to be okay little seer... we're here. All here protecting you..."

Freya eyed her warily for a moment.

Then, she spoke again.

"It... it hurts! It-! No, I can handle it! I can... handle..."

She began sobbing violently, shivers running through her body.

She was in a lot of pain.

What on earth was Freya thinking!?

It was obvious this woman had the heart of a lion, but she was severely injured.

Even a blood mage could not blink at such a gruesome blow.

Freya held her hand.

"You're so strong... but right now, let us help you... shhh... It's all going to be okay..."

Satoshi kept an unwavering eye on the girl.

He knew deception when he saw it.

He was trying his very hardest to remain unnoticed.

She was using some kind of glamour...

No, wait. She was a seer.

A blood seer.

She used her own blood and life force to read deep into people, and she was good.

If one thing was for sure, he would not fall for it.

If there was one thing in the world Satoshi was an expert in, it was seeing who the people were, and who were the monsters dressed in a person's skin.

Satoshi couldn't prove it yet, but somehow he knew.

This little girl was playing the sheep, but underneath it lay a savage wolf.

He was on his guard now, because she had the others convinced, and Satoshi knew when to pick a fight, and when to stand in wait.

He wasn't sure why yet, but something told him that this girl was a little monster.

The funny thing about Satoshi? Yeah, he's not the kind to guess wrong.

"What's your name, little seer...?" Kaihn asked softly.

"Iy-Iyana..." She croaked.

"My name is Iyana."

Iyana... what a hateful little monster.

 ** _**Damn. Just... Damn. That was fun. I get all heated over my own writing!... Enjoy the messterpiece to come... mwaha! ha! Haha! MwahahhahahaahahAAAAA! (This is some red wedding level shit. Prepare yourselves.)**_**


	22. Chapter 22

**Hello all, just so you are aware, all thoughts from the characters/the hive mind are quoted in astrics... and just in case I misplaced that ' * ' those. My writer I usually use to post these is being dysfunctional right now. Sorry for the inconvenience. On another note, my life is kind of a shit storm right now, but it has given me plenty of new ideas. Also, forgive the 'Martin' I am going to pull somewhere in this chapter... I do promise, it will tie the story together. It might piss you off. For those of you who have read or seen game of thrones, or have read most of the headers in my previous fan fiction books, you know what I mean by 'pulling a Martin'. Good luck, and enjoy Chapter 22. It's just getting good... ;)**

Chapter 22: Dark Embrace

Linn was clutching the hot snow between her fingers, gasping for air as the white clumps practically sizzled in her hands. Her arms were shaking as she tried to lift herself off of the ground.

A surge of pain shot through her back, and she collapsed again, the hot snow scorching her face and neck.

She let out an agonizing scream.

The heat was past the point of unbearable...

Linn could feel her muscles throb with pain, and then lose feeling...

She was dying.

*~This is it then...~*

*(Linn! No, it's not! We're on our way!)*

*~Kuhn... I'm going to be really fucked up by the time you get here... I don't want you to see me like this.~*

*(I don't care about that! LINN! You're beautiful! Even if you have scars! I just want you alive love... You, AND our children. We're on our way... love, please hang on... God, don't die... Please, just... Hang in there!)*

A form appeared in the distance.

Shisuta...

She had rabbit ears, buck teeth, and beady eyes.

Blood was pouring from her mouth.

Linn began to sob softly, too weak to scream.

The rabbit - like Shisuta began to twitch and convulse, stretching out a long and jagged arm toward linn.

Her arm collided with Linn's body, which went flying into a nearby tree.

Her vision faded into darkness...

And all was cold.

...

Kuhn remembered what happened right before Linn fell away from his thoughts.

The inverse Shisuta had landed a near fatal blow on her before she had lost consciousness.

At least he hoped it was 'near' fatal, and not fatal.

Both Haku and Chihiro were gone.

He was not about to lose Linn too, not on his watch.

Everyone was just about to head to the next place, wherever the black portal lead...

...but when everyone saw what happened to Chihiro and Haku, they had assumed that Linn had fallen too.

The group was in a state of devastation, and the task they had been so prepared for seemed impossible.

Linn might still be alive, but Kuhn was praying he wasn't too late.

He was headed to where he last felt Linn.

Loki, Katsu, and Junichi were with him.

Shisuta, Karo, and Haruka stayed behind to help Shisuta safely concoct a healing serum.

Her recent bout of blindness made her craft far more of a hazard to her, so she now required heavy assistance to concoct her remedies.

What's worse, this 'sickness' had also begun to strip her of her ability to hear.

They had all been trying to help her find a remedy to the issue, or to at least stop it from spreading. Her eyes were likely beyond repair, but her ears still had a chance...

For now anyway.

Linn had access to the well, albeit limited.

If they could save Linn, then Shisuta would be able to tap into the well through the mind hive once she was conscious, and possibly find a cure.

Kuhn wasn't overly concerned with Shisuta at the moment, as Linn was the more pressing matter to say the least.

True, Shisuta's nervous system was being slowly destroyed, but Linn was on the verge of death right now.

They all ran toward the spot that Kuhn had described.

Junichi froze.

He had been practically falling to pieces worrying about Linn.

Linn had a wonderful husband, and children, but Junichi still saw his five year old little sister, nagging him to come play with her again with those big brown eyes of hers.

She had certainly changed since then, and for the better of course, but Junichi couldn't pry away the image of his little sister running a mock in her little dresses.

He wasn't sure whether to melt with relief or with sorrow.

Shisuta the half rabbit was holding Linn above the snow with limp arms, slightly illuminated by the shade of the blackened tree.

Linn had severe burns down her right side, and her open burn wounds were mending under the glow of a blue light, forming scars when the blue light left them.

Loki walked up to the creature who was inverse shisuta.

She held out her hands.

"May I see her?"

The creature handed Linn over to Loki, and her form shifted into that of Shisuta.

She looked just like her, were she in the prime of her life and in excellent health.

Shisuta was beautiful, and she hadn't even hit her prime yet.

This would give Karo something to look forward to...

Loki gave Linn to Kuhn and Junichi.

"Judging from what we just saw? Yeah, I hope your prepared kuhn, because you're going to be a father. Damn... this whole thing is giving me a fucking headache! And now kids...? Fuck me."

A half cocked smile crossed Loki's lips, but there was warmth there as well.

Kuhn burst into tears, clutching Linn close to him, cradling her stomach.

Junichi rolled his eyes.

"What, so I'm NOT going to be an uncle?"

Katsu grinned.

"Try grandfather, old man!"

Junichi lost his composure for a moment, then he let loose his most smug grin.

"Yes, and I as the grandfather will have aquired the funds 'with my most fortuitous life experience might I add' to purchase all of the treats so all four children can enjoy them... oops, did I say four? Or was I mistaken... Katsu?"

Katsu stood there for a moment, his face turning a dark red.

He exploded.

"You just fucking went there YOU ASSHOLE! I'LL-!"

"Wait..." Said Junichi, cutting him off.

Katsu was thrown off by Junichi's sudden change in tone.

"Huh? What is it?"

"Where's loki." He said, monotone.

Kuhn looked up.

"What!? But she was just here!"

Usually Loki would have reprimanded. Both of them by now, and as horrible as that was, it was uncharacteristic of Loki to walk away during any kind of an argument.

Katsu held his head in his hands.

"Shit! She must have wandered off again! Sh-She does that sometimes... but, the other Shisuta is gone too."

They all grew more worried.

Kuhn was still holding Linn above the snow.

"No footprints... guys, it's like she just disappeared."

*(Loki? Are you okay!? Where did you go?)*

*{Uggghhhhnnnn...}*

*(Loki!?)*

*|She is here... My inverted self is with her. From what I can tell, Loki seems disoriented, but unharmed. The two phased into the room not ten seconds... wait, now it has been ten seconds. So, just over ten seconds... 11.2599999...|*

*(And even without the well, you're still a living calculator.)*

*|The well was but a resource. It takes a true master to use it. I do not say this to gloat about myself, because there were days even I could not tame such a beast of knowledge...|*

Kuhn remembered when, specifically when she had delved into the seed mind which they were now entrenched in.

That was when Kahn had the amulet...

Kahn.

Kuhn had been really worried about him too.

*|She is walking toward me... Wait...! WHAT!?|*

*"What on earth is she doing!?"*

*{Oh, this is just too weird...}*

*|Wait, this is kind of nice!|*

*"Shisuta REALLY!? Just... no words. Um... I kind of like it too."*

*(What? What's going on!?)*

Kuhn peeked through Loki's eyes.

Damn... She had the worst headache!

*(Remind me to never teleport in a mirrorverse.)*

*+My guess? The reverse Shisuta utilized a rift. That's how I got here.+*

*(Really? That's odd... I don't think I've heard of that before.)*

*+Not everyone gets sick from it, but that is a potential side effect of rift jumping.+*

*{Sick is a fucking understatement Katsu!}*

*+Wait... Holy shit... the two Shisuta's, they're... um.+*

Kuhn saw it now.

Inverse Shisuta had planted a kiss on Shisuta...

But something else was happening.

Inverse Shisuta's form began to dissappear in a burst of light.

Shisuta had white bandages wrapped around her eyes, which she was starting to unbind.

*|No way... I think...|*

She had fully removed her binds, and opened her eyes.

She practically jumped for joy.

"I CAN SEE!"

*(So THAT'S what she did!)*

*"This in incredible... I am just so happy. I'm lost for words."*

A solemn feeling seemed to overtake the hive mind, followed by a soft silence.

Shisuta stopped, and fell to her knees.

"You have sacrificed your life for me... thank you."

Tears began to stream down her face.

Karo sat behind her, and wrapped his arms around her.

"Sh-Shisuta... thank goodness she did. I've come so damn close to losing you so many times, it - it's just..."

He pressed his lips to the top of her head, tears now streaming down his own face.

*"Since the very moment I met you, I knew I liked you... then, I got to know you and every little quirk and detail... Every flaw and how they tied together to create such angelic perfection. When I was young, I thought the lumina were angels. I soon came to the conclusion that they weren't, and stopped believing in angels. As the years have gone by, and the impossible has been overcome time and time again, I have seen you grow more and more beautiful in both form and spirit. I grew to love you more every day, and questioned to myself if I had known love before that moment. Real angels aren't marked by a pair of wings. My angel has violet eyes that light up at the destruction of explosions, as well as the creation of medicine and the promise of knowledge. My angel has crimson hair that shines like fire in the sunlight... and matches her bravery in spirit. She has a soul deep like the well it once encompassed. A well it doesn't need. A soul so precious given to Sasageru, it would have been sorely wasted. Someone so beautiful, not even the finest artist could capture her form... and believe me, I've tried. Don't ever leave me... please. If I am even worthy of such a captivating presence... I love you."*

Shisuta was completely lost for words.

She leaned in closer to karo.

*(Gaaaaww! That's just so... so... just, wow... Wow!)*

*+Loki... what he said.+*

*×Katsu, that was terrible.×*

*+Ahh can it gramps!+*

*×I wasn't even joking. That was awful. Excuse me while I go vomit up a better line.×*

*{JUNICHI! Shut. Up.}*

*×And yet, you seem amused.×*

She did, and Junichi could tell.

Haruka's voice sounded in the hive.

*"One Point for Junichi."*

*+Hey!+*

*"What!? It's entertainment. I get bored easy."*

*(You're bored!? But... HOW!?)*

*+RIGHT!?+*

*"Oh, how am I bored? Is this before, or after we saved the world the first time... when I was like, five."*

*(You... have a point.)*

*"Or could it have been the dreamscape we were dragged into by Hiro and Eiji? Or Maybe the nine plagues that hit the Warrior's Respite when the heavens decided to hate our guts! And to top that off, we were stuck with Lilith for three fucking years, because Kahn was boning her! So Shisuta can see again. I mean, yeah I'm relieved, but I've seen Eiji become the leviathan king, and half of our group has died at least once or more! The phrase 'Hell and back' becomes literal! HOW EVER AM I BORED!?"*

*+Well shit... Two points for Haruka.+*

*×Agreed.×*

*(Huh, when you put it that way... How am I NOT bored?)*

*"I have no clue... because I am."*

Kuhn had been carrying Linn back to the cabin as Katsu and Junichi walked with him.

Katsu had a thought, but kept it to himself.

Junichi decided to peek in anyway.

*+Damn... I kind of like the way Haruka thinks. Shes also hella fine... Loki and I have been fighting a lot... So, I wonder if-+*

*×Oh really? Do you plan on letting Loki know about this?×*

*+Stay the hell out of my head Junichi!+*

*×You know? I gave you grief because I respected you as a rival. I did that because I thought you would hold to your promise. It seems you have a fickle mind and a wandering eye. We all have straying thoughts, trust me. I'm an asshole, I would know. If I ever find out about you hurting her...×*

*+Yeah? Well I won't okay? And stop hitting on her, by the way! As for Haruka, let me put it this way. I can appreciate the car and not have to ride it.+*

*×Wow... to think I once had a similar mindset, looking at women as if they were objects.×*

*+What?+*

*×You don't even get it do you?×*

Junichi left him alone.

The two were silent, but Kuhn could feel the tension between them.

*~Aw... What a nice dream... Karo was so sweet to Shisuta there. Damn. Those kids are so adorable... Two Shisuta's? Holy shit, what my brain comes up with... nope. Don't want to see that.~*

Kuhn smiled to himself.

*(Linn... That wasn't a dream.)*

*~Are you sure? Damn... Then why would you tell me that Kuhn!? And... Why the random threesome?~*

Kuhn turned red.

*(Oh... That part is yours.)*

Kuhn could feel the amusement dripping off of Linn, the edgings of a smile crossed her lips as she slept.

He gave her a soft kiss.

"Sleep well love..."

Katsu looked down.

*+Dammit! Me and my big mouth! Or... my brain. That made me think of Loki. Yeah, there's no way! What the hell? Why would I even think that!? What's wrong with me!? Maybe Junichi's right! Ah hell! I love her, I just... I just hate the fighting. Why do we fight so much? She used to be so relaxed, and... Dammit, can she just tell me what happened!? I get that two-hundred years or so is a lot to explain, but if she would just explain it to me I wouldn't worry so damn much about her, and there would be no reason to fight!+*

Junichi let out a sigh.

*×That makes more sense... My advice to you Katsu is this. You seem to have become quite adept at controlling your end of the hive mind, also... YOU HAVE ACCESS TO HER BRAIN. YOU CAN HIDE YOUR THOUGHTS. Use your pig brain and think about that!×*

*+Actually? That's a pretty good point. Huh... I guess you're alright.+*

*×I suppose I understand where you're coming from Katsu. No harm done.×*

Kuhn shook his head.

"Well, whatever it was, I'm glad you two figured it out."

Linn's face contorted into a look of pain.

*~My back is killing me Kuhn!... Wait...~*

Linn woke up, clutching her stomach.

She let out a groan of pain.

Kuhn's eyes widened.

Junichi ran next to Kuhn and Linn.

He held his hands out.

"Give her to me. We need to get her to the cabin, and I can carry Linn and still be able to run fast."

Kuhn nodded, and handed Linn over to Junichi.

Linn smiled at him.

"Junichi... I'm glad you and Katsu made nice. You were both starting to piss me off."

He rolled his eyes.

"I'm glad to see you didn't hit your head too hard against that tree. Nothing ever changes with you does it?"

Kuhn laughed as they ran.

"Some things should never change!"

Linn let out a sharp gasp, clutching her stomach again.

"Dammit! Yep, they definitely want out!"

They approached the cabin, and Shisuta was waiting for them at the door.

"Come on! I have made preparations for her!"

Everyone made room for them as Junichi set Linn down on the bed.

Shisuta showed Linn a vial.

"Linn, this is a potent pain killer. I will leave it up to you whether or not you want me to administer it."

A bead of sweat rolled down Linn's brow, but she shook her head.

"N-No thanks, I think I'll be-!"

Linn let out a small yelp as a sharp contraction sent waves of pain through her lower back and torso.

"FINE! Fine I'll take the painkiller!"

Junichi shook his head.

"She really had to pull that one out of you, didn't she?"

"Junichi, you're SUCH A DICK!" Linn yelled.

He laughed.

"Yes, you just caught that? Sister, I am wounded."

Shisuta injected the painkiller into Linn's hip.

"This will numb the surrounding tissues. Don't worry, it will not have any effect on your children."

Loki gave a glowering look toward Junichi.

In fact? All of the women in the room were glaring at him.

Katsu was trying to conceal his grin.

Junichi let out a flat sigh.

"Yes, yes I get it! She's in labor, and I'm a perpetual asshole. I'm sure you'll all forget about it in two hours when Karo starts knitting baby shoes."

Karo projected a thought to Junichi.

*"Dude... You're digging yourself into a deeper hole."*

*×Really? I didn't think it was that bad... don't women like baby shoes?×*

Loki dragged him outside of the cabin.

*+Haha! Good luck, and I'd hate to be you right now!+*

*×Just... Fuck me.×*

Katsu laughed.

"That poor, clueless guy. Gotta love him though."

Haruka laughed.

"Yeah... Linn, he's related to you."

Katsu turned red.

*+Wow, what a pretty laugh... Wait! Dammit! I do like her. I'm lucky I can hide my thoughts. I love loki, that's never going to change. I like Haruka. Apparently a lot. Shit.+*

Kuhn laughed.

"If they were any more similar, they'd be twins!"

Kuhn stopped for a moment.

He really was worried about Kahn.

He was also incredibly worried about Hiro.

He would never wish the fate the seed wall was going to bring to the rest of them, and he felt better in knowing that she had a better chance of survival on the blood roads.

He looked at Linn.

*(Who knew that we would be having our children in a place like this? To think we may only have a short time together, and this is no place to raise a family... Hiro... Linn... good god, I don't want to lose my family!)*

*~Kuhn, I know it's scary... We're going to win, okay? Have we ever lost? We've been slapped with the word impossible before, and I'll be damned if I'm going to let this wall cut our children's lives short. Any of them. We will win. We made it this far, and we'll make it farther.~*

Kuhn felt a warm smile cross his lips.

*(You're absolutely right Linn. Thank you... You know I worry.)*

Linn jumped as she heard crying.

"What!? I didn't even feel that!"

Shisuta grinned.

"You weren't supposed to."

Considering the recent complications with literally everything, it was almost surprising that things were going so smoothly.

The other three came through with the same amount of ease.

Loki had helped Junichi back inside of the cabin, so he wouldn't miss the birth of his new neices.

Shisuta sighed, and injected a vial of the healing serum into Junichi's shoulder.

"You are lucky I made extra."

She injected the rest of the serum into Linn.

"This should heal any injuries you may have sustained during the labor process."

Kuhn felt relief melting through his shoulders, feeling warmth flutter in his heart at the sight of Linn and his three newborn girls.

"Thank you Shisuta. Thank god for medics..."

Shisuta's expression intensified, as she pointed her finger at Kuhn.

"Do not thank me kuhn! For it was not I who is responsible for such a masterpiece..."

Haruka slapped her palm to her face.

"This again...? Of course she is."

"Thank the purple thistle, which in our world produces the same enzyme as the red dwarf shark!"

"But aren't those endangered?" Karo added.

"That is beside the point!" Shisuta exclaimed.

"Do not thank me! Do not even thank the shark! Thank the wondrous and amazing feats of..."

Here it comes...

"This harvesting knife. It has a diamond tipped blade, and is quite nice indeed."

The entire room stopped.

Shisuta grinned.

"And, let's not forget about the powers of alchemical science."

Karo laughed.

"There it is! And here I thought we'd lost you!"

Linn smiled as she shook her head.

"Yeah right! You threw us for a loop there Shisuta!"

The mood had lightened, and everyone was happy.

There was still some sadness for the losses of Chihiro and Haku, but for right now?

This was a joyful thing, and everyone was filled with warmth for the three new arivals.

"So, have you come up with names for them yet?" Junichi asked.

Both Linn and Kuhn froze.

"N-No... we haven't." Said Kuhn softly.

They had been so worried about keeping the children alive, they had forgotten to think of names.

Junichi laughed.

"Don't panic! I'm actually fairly good at this."

Linn smiled.

"He really is... he named every one of my pets as a child."

He grinned.

"Remember Nōtarin?"

Linn began laughing.

"I do! God, that dog was dumb! And, yes... the name did fit."

Kuhn knew exactly what 'Nōtarin' meant.

"Junichi, don't give my kids mean names please."

Junichi rolled his eyes.

"They are also my nieces. They will have suitable names."

Junichi looked at the first child.

a small head with fuzzy brown hair, a pale complexion, and almost white blue eyes that were wide open with wonder.

He gave her a smile.

"Well, aren't you an aware one? Or just very awake."

She gave a small smile.

"I think I'll name her Miru."

He looked over at the one who was currently sleeping. She had a mess of dark brown curly hair.

He moved his fingers next to her ears, and snapped them.

"Hey! What was that for!" Linn exclaimed.

Kuhn laughed.

"Wait! I know why he did that! Look Linn, she's still asleep!"

She rolled her eyes.

"As if you and Hiro weren't enough! All of you are so damn hard to wake up in the morning!... Except for you Miru. You're awake."

"Well, this one seems to be the sleepy one." Junichi mused.

"Caught in a spell of slumber, are we little one? I think I'll name you Hasu."

Linn smiled warmly.

"I like that one. It means lotus..."

Kuhn nodded.

"Yeah, your good at this, I'll give you that."

Junichi rolled his eyes.

"You guess? Come on kuhn, what kind of a thank you is-!"

Junichi felt something small and metal smack against his head.

Linn took back her wedding ring, and both her and Kuhn turned to gape at the child.

Junichi rubbed the sore spot on his head, then began to laugh.

"I would name you something reminiscent of fire or volcano, but I'm almost too impressed! For one, she managed to free Linn of her ring undetected, and that takes talent. For two, she doesn't hold back her punches..."

He gave her a sideways glance.

"You remind me of your sister, Hiro."

She flashed Junichi the biggest grin.

She had black hair that was straight like Linn's and deep green eyes that were much darker than Kuhn's or Hiro's.

"I think I will name you Chikara."

Her grin broadened.

Kuhn smiled.

"Now I like that one! It means power."

Kuhn wrapped the three of them in a hug, and they nuzzled into him.

"So... Miru, Hasu, and Chikara. Welcome home you three..."

Kuhn felt a pit in his stomach.

This was not home, and in order to make it any closer to the seed, they needed to enter the black portal...

Kuhn wasn't sure where it lead, but now he had three little lives with him that were venerable to any and every attack.

He hoped and prayed that there was no immediate threat, because if he was sure of anything, it was that they hadn't seen anything yet.

This place could get much scarier than this, and this was only the beginning.

He looked down at them, all of them awake and smiling.

Hasu was fussing, because she had been woken up by Chikara, who had been poking her eyeball. Miru watched with accute fascination.

Kuhn gave them each a kiss on top of the head.

Linn smiled warmly.

"These ones are going to be exciting, I can just tell."

Kuhn laughed and shook his head.

"Hopefully not too much excitement!"

Junichi grinned.

"If they're anything like Hiro? Chances are you two will have your hands full... have fun!"

Kuhn hung his head.

"I really love Hiro... but for the love of god, not again!... multiply my insanity by three."

He smiled softly.

"You were right mom... I would have four kids for the trouble us three caused."

Junichi and Linn both started laughing.

"Remember that line Linn?" Junichi jabbed.

She waved her hand.

"Yeah, yeah! But look at them Jun... they've fallen asleep again."

Junichi felt a warmth fill his chest.

She hadn't called him that since they were young.

He saw Loki out of the corner of his eye.

She was blushing, and looked toward the ground...

She seemed disturbed.

*{His laugh... Those names he gave to Linn's children. Wow. Now those are names that little people grow into... I just feel so...*

*NO! I am inlove with KATSU! *

*[Are you really...?] *

*Go away Freya! All you do is call me names! GO AWAY! *

*[And yet you have not apologized.] *

*Wait, what does that... oh.*

*Holy shit. *

*Y-You... You aren't real... not real... Holy fucking hell! *

*[Well, technically yes. I am real. I am not Freya... He balances you.] *

*No.*

*[Loki, please-!] *

*NO! *

*J - Just why?*

*WHY DON'T YOU HATE ME!?}*

Loki slipped out of the cabin, her demeanor quiet and quick.

*Haku is gone. Chihiro is gone. Freya is a fantasy that kept me alive... and even though she hated me, the silence is unbearable and lonely. I probably used to love katsu, but I no longer do, and I waited two-hundred years to find that out... still, if I hurt him, I could not live with myself. I can't even live with myself now!*

Loki waited for hateful voices that never came.

"What!? Nothing to say!? I'm not some selfish pig for thinking that!? Come on, what now!?"

Silence...

"Come on!"

There was only silence.

"COME ON! ANSWER ME!"

Loki fell to her knees, ignoring how the hot snow burned her legs.

*{D-Did I do something wrong? I - It's my fault. I could have fixed it... I could have saved Haku. H-Hes dead because of me! Dead! All DEAD! My fault! The fault is MINE!}*

"Everyone is DEAD because of me!" She wailed.

"All of my friends back at Haven! I let them die too! I am so FUCKING WORTHLESS! Wh-What good am I anyway...?"

She slowly unsheathed her black obsidian daggers from their pouches.

She felt sadness fill her chest, a wistful smile crossed her lips.

"I remember when I crafted these... how long it took, and all of the places I had to go to get the materials. God forbid I die, then I would have to dive into the belly of the beast to retrieve them... That was so awful. But you were worth it, weren't you! My little angels..."

Tears streamed down her face, and she was shaking.

She pressed the obsidian daggers against her chest.

"K-Katsu... You never knew them. Thank god..."

She plunged the two daggers inside of her chest...

...And fell into darkness.

Or rather, into sleep.


	23. Chapter 23

_****Welcome to part 2. This is the section of the story that becomes a little more abstract. Things have taken a turn for the worse as the only heir to her stars and therefore the seed, has taken her life as she fell deep into her own insanity and sorrow. This would seem to leave many gaps, but rest assured, this only makes the story better...**_

 ** _All will unfold in time,_**

 ** _And in the realm of time, anything is possible._**

 ** _Enjoy part 2! Enjoy Chapter 23! :)**_**

 _THIS IS THE LONGEST CHAPTER IN THE ENTIRE SERIES._

PART TWO 

Chapter 23: The Great Rift

And the ground shook, and all trembled in the wake of the ground and it's chasms that swallowed whole all that we know as truth. The earth as is present, swallowed whole in its fragile state, laid to waste by the shadow's hungry rage.

Where were the fated few in these last moments of truth?

Let us look into the eyes of the fated, and see what they behold.

...

HAZEL EYES THAT ONCE HELD LIGHT:

...

Jiro stroked his hands gently up and down Seizui's back, pressing a soft kiss on the top of her head.

She relaxed into him.

Seizui was different around Jiro. She showed him a softer side that no one had ever seen.

She was always sad and lonely in this room, and Jiro could feel it.

They were all in that same dark room again, kept together like animals in a pen...

Jiro mused on this thought for a moment.

 _Kept in a pen, where do I remember that?_

 _("Eiji, son? Why do you want to hear that story again? I've told it at least a thousand times."_

 _"Pleeaaaasssee! Just one more time! Tell me about Yubaba, and how mom saved grandma and grandpa from the pig pen! I think it's silly that they didn't remember that! It's a pretty big deal you know.")_

A familiar laughter filled his mind.

 _("Well, it seems you have that one memorized! Why is it that you want me to tell you this story?")_

 _F-Father..._

 _("Because... um... well, I don't know! I just... I like the way you tell it, and... and I think you're way awesome!")_

 _Who are you...?_

 _("Alright! Alright! Ahem... it was a day like any other, water running through me like the wind now runs through our wings...")_

 _Father...?_

 _FATHER!_

Eiji held his head in his hands.

"M-My name is NOT JIRO!"

The others jumped back in awe.

"H-He figured it out!?"

"NO WAY!"

"He's dead for sure! Oh god... we're... WE'RE ALL GONNA DIE!"

Seizui grabbed his shoulders.

"Eiji. I know who you are... but this goes way deeper than what you think! M-My name is Hikari... You have to be Jiro, and I have to be Seizui. We have no other choice!"

Eiji remembered Hiro now, and he was in love with her to the very core of his soul...

But, now he loved Seizui as well.

Footsteps grew louder in the hall...

"Y-You mean she's NOT crazy!? I-It was all an act!?"

She held herself tightly, and began to shake.

"F-Father loves me... H-He loves his little... His little Hikari- NO! Seizui! SEIZUI!"

Eiji put a hand on her shoulder.

"Don't worry Hikari... I'll handle this."

He looked over at Dankon, who he now knew as Niku.

Niku was shivering in the corner.

He sighed.

"You're pathetic, truly. You know that right? After what you did to Neon...? I hope you die first."

Neon...

He remembered her being ripped off of his back, and her thoughts being severed from his as she was left to bleed in the sewers...

A wave of nausea swept over him as the door swung open, the masters threads shining from the dim light of the hallway, contrasting with the dark nothingness that was this room.

"Seizui, you have made your father most... displeased."

He walked up to her, his hand stroking her face.

"After all that I've done for you child..."

Eiji was on guard.

A sick electric buzz seemed to fill the room, and Eiji could feel this dark man's intentions seeping through his skin.

"Not just anyone gets to sleep in the masters quarters..."

Eiji felt his blood burst with anger, threads shooting out of his fingertips knocking back Master Kōrudo.

"That makes too much sense... You'll be the the one dying today 'Master'."

Master Kōrudo stood, and began to laugh.

It was soft at first, and then grew into an intense maniacal fury.

Eiji could feel the insanity flying off of him like pins and needles piercing the surface of his skin. His empathy had certainly become more prominent in this place.

Kōrudo sent his threads flying in multiple directions, killing three of the assassin slaves.

One of them was Aki.

Ame let our a loud cry.

She had fallen in love with Aki, and saw him torn down before her very eyes, fading into the darkness.

He was about to strike down Ame, but Eiji lifted his own threads in defense.

He looked over at her.

"Amaya, when this is over, find Emi and tell her what happened."

Amaya's eyes widened, and she remembered who she was.

She nodded, though it seemed unsure.

Master Kōrudo tried to lash out at Eiji's feet while he was distracted, in an attempt to gain the upper hand. He wanted to gain control of Eiji, and use him to destroy the rest of the group. No doubt he would try to use Hikari as a puppet slave as well, along with some of the other strong and willful fighters.

Eiji grabbed his threads, and slid his own threads inside of Kōrudo's.

Eiji let out a dark laugh as the man let loose the most blood shilling screams.

To think that he actually thought Eiji lost focus in the middle of a fight...

Eiji had learned from the best, after all.

It wasn't Master Kōrudo's teachings that stuck with Eiji, but Loki's.

He cast him back, releasing his own blood magic and threads.

Blood began to ooze from Kōrudo's threads, mangled and hanging from his fingertips.

Eiji felt a dark sense of satisfaction as he heard him smack hard against the back wall.

Fear filled the aged man's eyes as he realized that Eiji in his youth, had surpassed this hollowed shell of a man.

Eiji was about to plunge his threads through his eyes, so the last thing he would see was the darkness he had created...

Hikari, or rather Seizui, tackled him to the ground.

"DIE!" She screamed, attempting to plunge a dagger into Eiji's chest.

The sharp object neared ever closer to Eiji, tears filling his eyes as blind hatred filled Hikari's.

 _She... She turned on me._

 _Just like that, and it hurts._

 _I remember how she reacted to Aki when he spoke badly of her father..._

 _What has he done to her to make her this way?_

 _He abuses her, and stuffs her in a pen for the better part of the day, and now I know how the end of that day is spent._

 _Those eyes._

 _No. They aren't her eyes._

 _Those are Seizui's eyes, not Hikari's._

 _That man put the glaring hatred in her eyes._

He looked a little closer, as if time had slowed to allow him to gaze into those eyes.

What he saw wasn't true hatred...

It was fear.

Before the dagger grazed his skin, a light filled the room.

Eiji's eyes widened.

"Z-Zeniba..."

She bound Master Kōrudo to the wall, and restrained seizui.

She burst into tears.

"L-Let me go! F-Father! FATHER NO!"

The ethreal Zeniba pulled her into a hug.

"Our father is a wretched man Hikari... little sister."

Eiji sat up, his hands shaking.

"G-Grandma Zeniba? That's you isn't it?"

She nodded.

"Yes. I must say, I am impressed at how you handled my father.

Eiji's eyes widened.

That made sense.

Kōrudo used some of the same tactics that Haku had described to Eiji as a child while telling him stories.

Yubaba, the evil witch of the bathhouse who stole your name and gained power over you.

Yubaba was no blood mage, but Eiji was not surprised at the connection.

His only question was why Yubaba and Zeniba looked so different from Hikari.

They were, well... bigger.

Seizui was very tall, but not a giant by any means.

Eiji sensed half siblings was more the case.

Amaya smiled sadly.

"Thank goodness... Eiji, those are some impressive connections."

Zeniba looked over at Amaya and saw that though she was trying to seem okay due to dire circumstances, she held a heart full of sorrow and despair.

She gave a glowering look toward her father.

"You continue to cause nothing but pain and misery... My sister was your favorite prodigy, but you tire quickly as your young and miserable daughters inevitably age from sorrow and despair..."

He let out a dark laugh.

"Hello Zeniba... You never listened to me anyway."

She shook her head.

"Oh, never mind him... His mind faded long ago. He'll be dead soon anyway."

 _She turned toward Eiji, still holding the shaking Hikari in her arms._

 _A sad smile crossed her lips._

 _"Eiji... forgive me for what I am about to do."_

 _Eiji's eyes widened as the ground began to shake._

 _She placed a finger on his chest, magic emanating from her hand._

 _"Good luck!" She yelled._

 _Zeniba launched him through the wall and into a portal..._

 _..._

 _Eiji fell into a cloud of darkness, and I made certain that this darkness was me._

 _I wanted to say goodbye to my son._

 _We would have to part for a while, and I would have to take care of this battle on my end._

 _Unfortunately, Eiji was forced to play a major role in this now._

 _"Eiji... son..."_

 _Father...?_

 _"Do not blame Zeniba for what she had to do... I asked her to."_

 _Wait... what just happened? Why am I here?_

 _"The world we know is about to end. I am the fabric that holds us together now... I am sending you somewhere considerably safer, but you have much work to do. Do not worry, you will not be alone."_

 _Wait, what about Hiro! Hikari! Linn, kuhn, the triplets! Mom! What happened to Mom!? What about THEIR lives!? It's not just me! Save them too! PLEASE!_

 _"They have their own journeys. I am in luck that I had the liberty to choose a safer path for you... and your mother."_

 _Mom? Thank god! She's safe..._

 _"It seems that your bright pink companion survived as well..."_

 _Neon..._

 _(Hi Eiji! I'm so glad your safe. If it weren't for your dad, I'd be toast for sure!)_

 _Hey! I hope you're okay... You won't have to latch on to my back again will you?_

 _(But of course I will!)_

 _Great..._

 _Eiji smiled warmly._

 _I love you Neon._

 _(I-I love you too!)_

 _~I guess that worked out well... Eiji, we have a lot of work ahead of us.~_

Eiji could sense that she was off, and it gave him an uneasy feeling.

He was also overwhelmed with relief, and let this feeling fill his heart instead.

 _Mom... I never thought I'd see you again. I missed you so much!_

Eiji felt tears streaming down his face as warm and nurturing arms wrapped around him.

 _~It's all going to be okay now... We'll figure this out. We always do.~_

...Eiji felt a familiar feeling seep into his back, the light of an old world hitting his eyes for the first time.

...

GREEN EYES OPENED TO THE WORLD:

...

Hiro and the other leviathans were staked out near the fortress where Eiji was being held.

The leviathans were acting strange today, shifting uncomfortably and huddling around Hiro in a protective circle.

They had been this way for the last hour, and they were their usual selves before.

Hiro couldn't shake this weird feeling, like something was amiss.

The feeling was so intense, it was as if it carried a smell.

They huddled closer to her, and their faces seemed to calm.

"So it has begun..." One whispered.

She tapped one of them on the shoulder.

"Um... hey, I... Why are you doing that?"

They turned to face her.

One of the leviathans set a clawed hand lightly on Hiro's shoulder.

"There's not much more we can do... slight change of plan. This is our ultimate protection."

She felt a sharp pang of panic in her chest.

"Guys...? Wh-Whats going on? Y-You need to tell me!"

They were solemn, but silent.

Their forms became darkened, and shaped into bodies.

They all set a hand on Hiro's head.

She looked around, and saw their faces emerge from the darkness, their bodies becoming light.

Tears began streaming down her face.

"What is this...?" She whispered.

Light and soft tears began to fall down their faces as well.

One of the Leviathan's spoke.

"Mistress Hiro... do you know who we are?"

"L- Leviathan's... You are leviathans." She said softly.

"And... And I love you all very much! You're my friends, all of you!"

She began to sob softly.

Another one smiled.

"That is what we were named after the fall, yes. A name placed onto us to invoke fear and ruin. And yet? You did not judge us for our forms. You saw what the others could not... your kind and unhindered eyes... this is what makes you our angel."

Hiro laughed bitterly.

"I'm no angel..."

One nodded his head.

"Yes you are. We were the original, so we would know one when we see one. And thank you for loving us Mistress... You are forever a friend."

She stared at them in awe.

"You're all... angels. That makes sense... Oh no, that's terrible! Why!? Why were you cursed like that!? And... and..."

She burst into tears and violent sobs.

"D-DONT LEAVE! Please... I have this feeling I'll never see you again! Like you're leaving!"

The ground began to shake.

"Sorry Hiro... This is how it has to be. Tell Max to stay safe for us won't you...?"

She began to panic.

"No! NO! I command you release me! Please!"

...

I watched from above, seeing this beautiful disaster unfold.

I had directed Kahn's form to rematerialize at this point in time to help Hiro rescue Eiji, but it seemed I would have to take matters into my own hands, considering the severity this had reached.

Loki was dead.

She unknowingly sacrificed the universe to the abyss, and so far I held this mess intact...

I couldn't hold it for long, and at this rate I was drawing attention from the immortal ones like drawing moths to a light.

Shinjitsu being my biggest concern.

The immortal ones are in a ripe position to swallow these stars and have the powers of the universe at their whim.

Though I am caught here in an immortal state due to this paradox that is now imploding, I am no immortal.

Trust me, if there was more I could have done to further the aim of my friends and keep Loki alive, I would not have hesitated. I was in such a powerful position because my placement was a secret. I had not been discovered.

I had little choice now but to make waves.

It was between my family and whether or not they exist.

Not life or death.

Existence.

And if Shinjitsu wraps his cold fingers around these stars, and shatters me...

Universe be damned.

I will find a safer place for Eiji.

Chihiro is still alive, but she was caught in a lower plane.

I had just finished retrieving her.

I felt a deep sadness fill my chest.

The pain she must have experienced...

She was in a sleep state now, and I felt a sense of comfort knowing that she could rest.

I never wanted this for us love... I never meant to hurt you, or anyone. I wish I could go back in time and...

THAT'S IT! Eiji... back then... yes. He would be safer in the human world, and in a mortal form, he can still communicate with my river spirit form and not draw any attention to this universal game at play like I would. Chihiro would accompany him, and I would no doubt be drawn to her...

Possibly as a mother figure no doubt. I was a young spirit, and only began to form a more mature soul at the time of departure from my river.

-Haku... where must I go then? I am to understand that Nina is searching for me, yes?-

Yes Kahn, that is correct. Lilith is also one of the immortals, and would no doubt take her chance at the throne. She loves you, and I do not doubt that she would let nothing harm you... as for the rest of us? Sorry Kahn, but I doubt she cares.

-I can teach her... can't you just let me see her instead? Let me die, and wander with her in the planes. Please.-

I'm sorry but I can't. She could trace you back to me, and then take over the throne. You may just run into her during your travels, and trust me that's a much safer option.

-For who Haku? Let me ask you this... Why not? Wouldn't it make more sense to just let Nina take the throne? You know, prevent the inevitable universal demise and fill the gap more safely? What if Shinjitsu finds you first? Are you saying that's a better option? I'm sure Nephthys would make a fine queen... at least that's what had better reach her ears. And Sasageru? You know, I heard about what he's planning with Haruka. He's been quiet for now... he will take her over, and change her form to suit him. Then? He'll look for you. Just like all of them are. Not to mention that Eiji could cause a paradox or step on some major butterflies. He's interacting with you, his father from the past... before he was born. Do you see where this could cause a potential problem?-

Then I will inform Chihiro to keep her identity a secret from me, and have her instruct Eiji to do the same upon arrival. What past me doesn't know, won't hurt me.

-Okay. Well then, if I may be so bold as to suggest this next potential issue. Eiji, a hormonal teenage boy now susceptible to the whims of a mortal form, decides to get cozy with one of the female natives. She conceives.-

In fact? No! You may not be so bold as to suggest-!

-Haku. Really?-

Dammit...

I know, I know! I'll have Chihiro cover that too... um, yeah.

-Poor Chihiro... Holy hell Haku.-

Now? I officially feel like an ass.

...WAIT! I've got it! Neon.

(Yes?)

Would you like to see Eiji again?

(More than ANYTHING! Eiji is my best friend sir. I will not fail him again! He's so awesome...)

Alright then. Make sure to latch on more tightly to his back this time.

-I see what you're thinking! Haku, you devilish bastard! That's brilliant!-

I laughed.

I mean, it will make 'cozy making' a little harder.

(B-But... that's not necessary anymore. I'm old enough now to get off of his back. I am NEON! Scouting in the shadows! Being the eyes and ears of the-)

Kahn busted out into laughter, nearly in tears.

-No, absolutely not! The shadows? I have that covered. You could try something more suited to your color pallet, if Eiji ever finds himself in battle amidst a field of flowers and pink truffola trees.-

Neon glared at him.

(I am not just a pet to Eiji. I am a battle companion as well. When I'm attached to Eiji, I can help him with certain shifts, but our combined power is much more limited. This pairing also causes Eiji very bad luck, of the deadly kind. I don't want to make things worse.)

-I see... Haku, I think our blindingly pink and fuzzy friend has a point. He'll be in a human body. That's even harder to deal with than the physical energy bodies we had in purgatory.-

True... hmm... Maybe she'll effect his human body differently?

(It's possible I guess.)

-This is seeming a lot less brilliant now.-

Kahn shook his head.

-So, where are you taking me exactly?-

To Hiro.

-What!? But HOW!? She's leaving that area soon!-

I'll time it right.

-You'd better.-

Oh, is that right? Best not to interrupt my focus thn, yes?

-I see your point.-

There was no way I could approach Eiji at this point. I had my hands full, and would need assistance getting him to an earlier timeline.

I called out to Zeniba.

"Zeniba? Can you hear me?"

Zeniba approached the darkness.

"Oh, there you are. My... things are quite a mess now aren't they? How exciting."

If I had a physical right eye, it would be twitching.

"Yes, very... exciting. To put that as lightly as possible."

She laughed loudly.

"What, annoyed Haku?"

She calmed herself.

"I can sense you have some kind of task for me. Well? Out with it. What am I fetching?"

Kahn rolled his eyes.

"It's not a what, but a who... Haku, just for the record, I think this is a terrible idea."

I suppressed an eye roll.

"It might be the only way we fix this mess."

Kahn laughed.

"Yes, the one you caused?"

I was about to speak, when Zeniba cut us off.

"Children please! Now... 'who' am I fetching?"

I shook my head, trying to ignore Kahn's jabbing remarks.

"You are to retrieve Eiji, and open a time rift to place him in. I will handle the rest."

She gave me a wavering look.

"What are you up to Haku...? This could potentially harm the boy."

I felt a deep anger rise within me.

"Do you think that where he is now is any safer!? At least with my plan, he'll be in a situation that doesn't threaten his very existence!"

Zeniba looked away from him.

"I understand. A transition like this could potentially kill him, if his body doesn't take to the portal. I will do as you ask, and if it works, it is a safer option... I don't like this."

She disappeared, and I felt a pang of guilt fill my heart.

I was sending my son to fix the mess I made.

I sighed.

Kahn... I'm a terrible father.

-Well, you haven't impressed me in that arena. I can't say I disagree.-

Thanks... I guess.

-It's what I'm here for.-

-Haku... it's almost time. The spell is almost complete.-

Let me see...

...Hiro had fallen to her knees, loud cries escaping her as her friends cast the protective shield around her, sacrificing their forms and souls to save her.

They felt him coming for her, like a storm in the distance appearing over the horizon...

It's electric passion greater than any.

He figured it out.

If Max is anything, he is brilliant.

Not even a mortal form could stifle his intellect.

He had regained his immortality through Nephthys' Amulet of power, and one of her spell books. How he had managed to snatch it from around her neck? I can't say I know.

That takes skill to say the least.

Max's arrival, the spell, and Kahn's return had to happen all in the same instant.

I sensed a familiar feminine presence near my shadows.

I grinned.

She has been looking for Kahn...

Looks like I'd better make this fast.

In a burst of light, I sent Kahn crashing toward the scene, a certain Nina catching the wave.

She gave Haku a wink.

"Thanks Haku! I hope you don't mind, but I'm catching a ride with Kahn... Keep your throne, I'd rather do boring half mortal things involving Kahn, bungee chords, the eiffel tower, and a vibrator! Woo hoooo!"

Ugh... thanks for the imagery Lilith...

Not.

That kind of scares me though.

She could have taken the throne at any time, and I would have been subject to defeat...

Maybe Kahn was right?

Well, no going back now.

Good luck Kahn...

Good luck everyone, and hurry.

It's more than our lives on the line now.

...

Hiro felt it now.

She felt the forms of her dear companions slipping into hers, and words could not express the emotional agony she felt.

She had already lost her family.

She was losing everyone and everything.

All she ever held dear was slipping from her reach, and there was nothing she could do.

Silent screams escaped her lips as the spell finished, and the surrounding leviathans faded into a white mist...

...A bright light filled the air, and the sound of one hundred sonic claps caused blood to trickle from Hiro's ears.

Three forms appeared in an instant, and in that split second, Hiro could hardly believe what she was seeing.

Who she was seeing.

Max, Kahn, and Lilith.

She was enveloped in a bubble of light, and Max cupped his hands around her ears.

She felt a warm buzz fill them.

"S-Sorry... here, I hope that's better. It shouldn't have been so abrasive! I'm so-"

Max jumped.

"WHAT!? What are you two doing here!? That explains A LOT!"

He held the bridge of his nose.

"In all my immortal life, I thought maybe I was done with the incessant surprises?"

Hiro was in awe.

This was so completely surreal.

They were literally standing in an enclosed white sphere.

Lilith laughed loudly, causing the place to fill with an oddly pleasant echo.

"No need to worry! We're just along for the ride. I'm done hunting for power..."

She let out a small giggle.

"Oh, and sorry for all the trouble I caused!"

Max looked about ready to jump down her throat.

"Yeah? That's pretty nonchalant considering the fact that seizing the heavens, which were a fragile mess might I add, was YOUR IDEA!"

Kahn looked down.

"Nice of you to apologize. But, love... next time? Let's try tact."

She laughed bitterly.

"And the problem was just going to fix itself? Where would you be if this never happened? Still marked and cursed, that's where. You may have never been soul fed and freed. And if I remember correctly, weren't the leviathans planning a siege as well? I guess word of MY revolution got around, didn't it? How convenient that your little flame over here happened to be involved with my group. You may have never met her."

Hiro had to hand it to her, she had a point.

But... flame?

Hiro had no idea what she was saying there.

Max turned red.

"Fine... I see what your saying."

Hiro turned to Max.

"What's a flame? I mean, the way she's saying it."

Lilith clapped her hands in glee.

"He hasn't told you!? Well, this IS exciting! A flame is-!"

Kahn put a hand on her shoulder.

"Nina, please don't stir up trouble."

She scoffed.

"I wasn't trying to!"

He smiled.

"I know. That's what makes it almost worse."

She scratched her head.

"How would that...? Oh! I see! It's because-!"

"So! Where to!?" Max blurted.

They all looked at him in confusion.

He grinned.

"Oh, I see... nobody here has tried their hand at inter-dimensional travel? I'll admit, I've never taken more than just myself, but I'm sure you'll find it at least twice as fun as I usually do."

Lilith gaped.

"No way! Seriously!?"

Hiro smiled softly.

"That sounds amazing..."

Her face fell.

"But... I kind of want to stay here for a little longer."

 _This is safe._

 _No one can get hurt here._

 _What if we travel somewhere and get swallowed by that black wall of death!?_

 _What if..._

 _What if I survive, and I lose everyone and everything for good!?_

 _No! NO! I can't risk that!_

"In fact... Why don't we just stay here? We don't need to throw ourselves into needless danger anymore."

This was unlike Hiro, and unlike any way she had ever been.

She was raw, and wounded.

Max felt this.

He knelt down beside her, and wrapped her into a tight hug.

"You're safe with me..." He whispered.

"And I know you've lost a lot, and I know you are hurting... I'm telling you Hiro, we'll get them back. All of them. Something bigger here is in the works, and even if you can't see it yet, it will come to light... trust me. Please... just trust me Hiro..."

Hiro felt a soft fluttering in her chest.

She trusted him.

...But not only that, she loved him.

It was not a feeling she was willing to admit to herself yet, but she loved him.

She loved Eiji as well.

Her breathing began to soften, and she accepted his comfort.

She leaned into him, and cried softly.

Kahn knelt down next to her now, and so did Lilith.

Lilith held Hiro's cheek with the palm of her hand.

"You remind me so much of myself, it's scary..."

Her eyes held a sadness, and Hiro felt her heart resonate with it.

"You know? Before I became bitter, I was soft and kind like you are. I was smart, tough as nails, and also kind. I remember when I lost my soul to my demons, and hid away in the shadows. For a while I felt safe, but I based all of my deeds on the deep seeded mistrust that devoured my heart. I learned to not trust anyone, and fulfilled some of my worst prophecies doing that. I became bitter and resembled my demons, but it didn't happen overnight. Do you know what happened then?"

Hiro was now enraptured in Lilith's story.

"Tell me, what happened?"

Her expression darkened.

"My sister... I found her, and saw that she had fallen as well. She had a light about her, one I had lost. I hid from her. She wouldn't have wanted to see me... I became Nina after that. I was hoping to find a better purpose, and break free from these mazes I had been hiding in for longer than I could remember. The heavens saw that I was gaining influence, and sought to destroy my progress by fracturing my sanity. That never stopped me though. I can say that it takes a lot to get out of those dark places we create inside of ourselves. Hell, I had to die once!"

Hiro smiled.

"You know? That makes sense... I've met Freya. All she really wants is to find her sister. To find you. That's her mission. She knew that you had committed crimes, and hurt people. That didn't stop her from loving you, or defending you."

Lilith's eyes widened.

"You know her...? And... She doesn't hate me!? I figured she would blame me for having to fall like I did! Wow..."

Hiro shook her head.

"No, you have it all wrong. She chose to fall so she could look for you."

Lilith froze, an indiscernible expression on her face.

Kahn smiled.

"I told you, I'm not the only one who loves you."

Hiro put a hand on her shoulder.

"Let's start fresh okay? Show me Nina, the real Lilith who is kind and heroic. A lot of people love her."

Tears flowed heavily out of lilith's eyes.

Max laughed.

"Just don't kill me again and we're golden, alright?"

She laughed, then burst into tears.

"Y-You got it! No more rage killing for me!"

Kahn shook his head.

"Good god... I think we've hit a breakthrough, and a breakdown."

Hiro leaned into Max. This was a happy moment.

A breakthrough.

 _Breakthrough..._

 _That reminds me._

"Hey, um... Max?" She said softly.

"Yes?" He replied pleasantly.

He hadn't noticed yet, but he was stroking Hiro's back with his hand.

It felt like a natural action, and Hiro didn't question it, but it was very nice...

Very distracting.

She shook her head.

"How did you escape Nephthys?"

He froze, his expression held an icy fear.

He let out a solemn breath.

"Oh yeah... That."

 _ ****I think I'll break this chapter up in two parts. The next one will be labeled 'The Great Rift (continued)'. I hope you enjoyed this last chapter! :)****_


	24. Chapter 24

Chapter 24: The Great Rift (Continued)

And so the eyes that are chosen remain to see, and those lost shall remain closed...

Asleep in this darkness, and never to wake in this timeline again...

Who are the eyes of the lost you ask?

Well, who were they ever...?

In eyes of painted skies and sunlit trees, lies a tale that will follow it's witness in the deepest corners of the mind...

... and in those eyes, a patch of black.

It wishes to unsee.

...

EYES OF EARTH IN A MORTAL SHELL

...

Max's demeanor was bleak.

He had undergone heinous amounts of torture, and his mind and heart were numb.

He hung from Nephthys's dungeon ceiling from hooks that were lodged into his back. He had also discovered that the bluish slime was indeed a form of stomach acid, and was slowly causing the holes in his back to rot.

His eyes were in terrible pain.

Yes... eyes.

Both of them were gone now.

The one that had been gouged out earlier was starting to develop a nasty infection.

He laughed bitterly.

"D-Damn this mortal body. Wh-What good has it-t done me?"

He felt a dull fear wash over him as he heard Nephthys teleport near his location.

There was a heat that came off of her that he could now sense vividly with his skin.

Pure energy.

Pure... Rage?

No, it was malice. A sick malicious joy.

She was enjoying this.

"Maxim...? What did I tell you about complaining?"

He sighed, and let his head hang.

"Just do it. What are you waiting for? Smite me with those unkempt and awful nails. Do it."

His skin began to sting like fire as Nephthys let out an enraged scream.

Just her energy alone was abrasive enough to burn the surface of mortal skin, and after that comment? Max must have really had a death wish.

He gave a bitter laugh.

"Shh... your ugliest when your angry. And guess what? Every single form you hold is marred by the hideous sneer drawn on your overdone lips. You are truly disgusting in soul, and I am not blind to how this translates on your features. This is why Hiro will always be more beautiful than you... I'm sure even an earth cow could manage that though. So? Are you going to kill me? Maine me why don't you? Do it. Now. I command you to hurt me, 'milady'..."

A dead cold filled the room, and her voice went silent.

The eerie and void like silence held for what seemed like an eternity...

A deep laughter escaped her voice.

"I can't say I disagree young Max... You are a bold one, to so callously face me in such a manor. You do know what is coming, yes?"

Max was pretty sure he knew what she meant, and he didn't like it.

She was calm.

Her manor was void.

She was going to swallow his soul, and she knew she had to be in a calm state to do that.

She flashed closer to him...

Max's nose twitched.

That smell...

It was the smell produced from any rift that was opened and closed at intensely fast speeds...

Those kinds of rifts were ones used most commonly to travel into other dimensions, due to their quick and fluid nature. There were only two possibilities when you were talking travel on that colossal of a scale. The first was leviathans. The second was the dreamstone amulet, unless you just so happen to stumble upon a rift, or someone sends another using their life force as proxy.

Needless to say, it usually takes a lot of energy.

Max spoke.

"I have one last question for you."

She seemed confused, but humored him.

"Alright... what is your question Maxim?"

He grinned.

"What color is your amulet?"

She seemed taken aback.

"My, that is a... strange question. Perhaps I damaged your brain? Oops... Well in any case, the amulet is blue, and I am going to swallow your soul now."

That's all Max needed to know.

It was the dreamstone, and Max knew where the clasp on it was.

He made a quick maneuver, undoing the clasp with his index finger, and slipping it on himself.

He did this based off of his sense of smell, and his sense of touch.

Just speaking to her using his sense of sound also clued him in on her location.

He gave her a small wink, and flashed away.

He had visualized the dining room, where he knew there would be a substantial amount of light. He wanted to test what sight he had left...

It was limited, but he was not completely blind.

He let a sly smile cross his lips.

He was headed to the library now.

He was sure Nephthys had a spell that would restore his immortality.

At very least his sight.

He heard Nephthys screeching down the halls.

"Once I'm done with you, I'm going to DEVOUR THAT PIG CHILD HIRO! You worthless sack of SLIME!"

Max froze.

 _Hiro..._

 _Oh shit._

 _Yeah, she's going to need my protection!_

 _I need to restore my form, and get to Hiro as fast as I can..._

All at once, Hiro's mind came flashing into his.

The incredible amount of pain she felt...

Eiji.

He was in danger.

This made Max incredibly sad. Eiji was his dear friend, and had been captured by some dark souls... Hiro may have to realize that Eiji would not come out of this the same.

She had an encounter with...

Iyana?

No...

No! She, or rather 'He' is not who he appears to be.

Not this again.

Now Max had to defend Hiro from two of the immortals!

He felt his own thoughts wander toward Hiro's.

He panicked.

 _No! No! NO!_

 _She does NOT need to see that!_

 _Stop!_

 _I will not let her see these thoughts!..._

 _...Th-There._

 _They are hidden._

Max may need to keep his thoughts to himself for awhile, lest one of those nasty images from this whole ordeal slip into Hiro's mind.

 _Hiro... I'll be there soon..._

 _You have no idea how precious you are to me._

 _My flame..._

 _Who knew that I would have imprinted on my twin flame...?_

 _And now I have the dreamstone amulet..._

 _Wait._

 _With this, I can have more than just my immortality._

 _I can travel to the pool of dreams, and become one of the immortals._

 _This is what we would have done, had we obtained the amulet within those three years that Hiro and Eiji were in our sacred courts._

 _They would have been our champions._

 _...I need to keep this information a secret._

 _I will cast a glamour on the amulet and my whereabouts, so that not even the deepest darkness, or the brightest light know what I am hiding._

 _With this kind of power..._

 _I could take the throne, and make things right again._

Max looked up to the ceiling, and saw past it the sky.

He smiled, preparing himself to escape Nephthys once again, and go off to the pool of dreams...

"There's a purpose to this, isn't there...? Yes, there has to be."

And with that? He was off, letting the immortal waters seep into his weary wounds.

...

EYES OF FIRE AND GOLD

...

Emi was with Fred and nine of the other leviathans.

They were caught between bubbles of black, trying to make their way into Nephthys' region.

Emi gave a nervous gulp as of a small black void bubble flew right past her nose.

"I l-lived off the skin of my teeth I tell ya! Holy shit!"

Fred edged closer to Emi.

"Careful Emi... if one of these touches you, your gone."

The other leviathans began to chant.

"Gone... gone with the wind..."

They chanted it repeatedly until one screamed:

"I LOVED THAT MOVIE!"

The other nine then cheered and rejoiced.

Fred sighed.

"Yeah... I know you're all restless waiting. So am I. Let's be quiet though, so she doesn't hear us."

Emi nodded.

"No joke..." She whispered.

They continued to chant.

"Scarlett O'Hara! O'Hara! O'Hara! A letter! A LETTER! A RED SCARLET-!"

They became silent.

Fred's eyes widened, but he was also silent.

Emi felt a cold shiver rising up her spine.

"H-Hey guys? What's goin' on? Like what the hell...?"

Fred let out a heavy sigh.

"Well, that's not good."

Emi practically shook the life out of him.

"Tell me what the hell just happened!"

He grabbed her shoulders.

"Emika, The center of the universe is collapsing. Our safest bet is inside of that palace!"

She froze.

"You've got to be fucking kidding me."

She stood for a moment, her body filled with fear...

Adrenaline began to pump through her veins, and she began to move into action.

Emi mounted Fred.

"Well? I ain't dyin'! And none of ya bastards are dyin' either!"

Fred shook his head as he headed toward the palace, nine other leviathans at his side.

"I think Max found the dreamstone amulet... lucky guy. He can travel now without having to worry about the impending doom. Well, not as much anyway. Unfortunately? He cannot sense us."

Emi began to tremble.

 _Shit... What have I gotten us into?_

 _(Emi... it wasn't you. It was my idea.)_

 _Fred, are we going to be trapped in there with Nephthys?_

Tears began to brim in his eyes.

 _(Yes Emika... If we're lucky, we may go undetected, find a passage way, and... and...)_

 _You don't know do you?_

A silent sob escaped him.

"N-No... I don't. I wish I knew a better way."

The nine drew themselves closer to Fred as they ran.

Emi could feel Fred begin to tremble as he ran.

"Brother..."

One of the Leviathan's whispered.

"We are all here... this will not be in vain."

At that moment, Fred and Emi felt the companionship of a pack of friends.

They would make it through this, if it was the last thing they did.

...To their very last breath, they were warriors,

And as warriors they would enter...

As for their exit?

May the voided seed have mercy on their souls.

This is not a battle that is easily won.

...

WARM EYES IN A SHIFTING FORM

...

Nori felt a solemn sadness wash over her.

She remembered the tears brimming in Emi's eyes, and felt her heart fill with a squeezing pain.

"Emika..."

She had whispered her name without even thinking about it.

"Shiny... Shiny general!" Winston yelled.

 _(You miss her... There's no doubt she is quite beautiful. Nori, I wish I could take your pain away.)_

 _WHAT!? I-I mean... I mean-_

 _Wait! WINSTON!? What in the world are you doing in my head!? Wait... Maybe I am delirious. Yes! I am thinking of the color red. There, and you have to say it outloud. I am simply insane- ah... wait. That's not good._

Winston laughed, it was loud and amused.

It sounded as if it was intended more gently in his mind.

"RED!" He screamed.

 _(Red. I would appreciate it if you would trust me miss Nori. I promise I mean you no harm.)_

Nori's eyes widened to the size of golf balls.

 _What...?_

 _What is this!?_

 _(I have chosen you to imprint on. Miss Nori, I sense something very special in you, and that is why I chose you. I must ask why it is you deny your feelings for Emi? I am honestly surprised you have the fortitude. I can sense the strength in which you desire her.)_

 _That's not creepy at all... oh wait._

 _Yes, that is actually VERY CREEPY._

 _(Is it inaccurate?)_

 _Um!? Why do you ask such insistent-!_

 _(Wait! I have proof!)_

 _"Oh wall... such voluptuous curves..."_

 _(Whoops, wrong one... entertaining none the less, and I do believe it gets the point across!)_

 _Oh just!..._

 _Dammit, fine._

 _Just... fine!_

 _(So... um, are you going to court her?)_

 _Ugh... stop!_

 _(Nori, that would make you happy.)_

 _Y-You know nothing..._

 _(This makes me very sad.)_

She felt a pang in her heart.

Talin sighed as Winston edged toward the back of the crowd.

"Nori... He is smart like you. He, along with Max, is among the most learned of all of us. The fact he chose you is a high compliment."

Nori felt her upper chest clench with an anxious pain.

 _Where is my diplomacy?_

 _Where is my tact?_

 _Should I not be the stillness in the storm?_

 _If not me, then who!?_

 _What's wrong with me...?_

 _Why did I say that?_

 _Nori, you are plain. Your features win you no respect, so without your composure, you are NOTHING._

 _Remember, NOTHING._

 _That stupid attitude, even if it was in my mind..._

 _Yes! This will teach me further discipline!_

 _No, but you've already failed, just like you failed your sisters..._

 _What good am I?_

 _I am nothing but a daft and insolent PIECE OF-!_

 _(No. Enough of that. I did not imprint on you to watch you torture yourself. A normal apology would have suited you just as well.)_

 _I... What?_

 _I am sorry, but..._

 _I do not understand you Winston._

 _(You do not understand yourself.)_

 _I would say that you-! A-ah! Wait... never mind. I apologize for my further rudeness._

 _(You are accustomed to conforming to others needs aren't you?)_

 _But of cours- Hey! I caught the undertone._

 _(You were supposed to.)_

 _Well, yes I am very accustomed to that. What I am not accustomed to, is having lemon juice squeezed into my wounds!_

 _(That is NOT my intention! I was simply concerned. Your mind has walls that are hard to reach past. I'm surprised I can get in at all.)_

 _Why are you prying!?_

 _(Why are you being difficult!?)_

Nori shook her head angrily, as if she could shake him out of her mind.

"How close are we to Chikakū's location?"

Finding Chikakū was Nori's idea. For one, he was hard to miss.

For two, when they found him, they would have speed and range of sight on their side.

Upon discovering that the Leviathan's could directly sense their behemoth overlord, this seemed like the perfect plan.

Talin nodded.

"Yes... not far now. He should be in sight soon."

She breathed a sigh of relief.

The sooner they could get this over with, the better.

She felt a twinge of sadness enter the corner of her mind, and slip away as fast as it appeared.

She glanced over at Winston.

She wanted to be nice to him, but for some reason she couldn't react to him.

She was afraid he would see too much.

Nori was kind at heart, but she was not always gentle. She hated admitting this fact.

Winston seemed gentle, and Nori felt strangely protective over him.

 _Protecting his feelings..._

 _From my feelings?_

 _No, that's not it._

 _I just wish I had started things off better._

 _He seems well rounded, and I do quite like his manner of speech.._

 _Though he seems a bit old fashioned._

She felt his amusement.

 _(You are not the first to say that!)_

 _Well, don't worry you! I've had my fair share of it as well._

 _(You came off to me as slightly post modern to be honest.)_

 _Really!?_

 _I can honestly say that's the first time I've heard that._

 _(You were raised in a traditional setting, but your nature is vast and wild... do not hide it miss Nori. It's one of those qualities Emi would find very attractive, if that serves as any motivation.)_

 _What, seriously!?_

 _She would notice that!?_

 _That's grea-!ah-! E-Egregious. Simply awful. Terrible._

 _(Very creative! You covered that up fairly well. I almost didn't catch it! Accept for the fact that I did, because I can read your mind.)_

 _Haha, very funny..._

 _(Why do you assume I was joking?)_

 _For the love of fucking GOLIATH! COULD YOU JUST-!_

 _...Wait a minute._

 _Oh! I GET IT NOW!... You just don't pick up on social mannerisms._

 _Wow, I am actually very sorry. This was all a complete misunderstanding wasn't it?_

 _(See? Now you're getting the hang of it! And... yes, yes it was.)_

Chikakū's massive head appeared over the horizon like the rising of the sun.

Nori practically melted with relief... but not literally.

No, she only did that when she was startled.

"Thank goodness, we've found him..." She said softly, a light smile crossing her lips.

The Leviathan's froze.

 _(The Father Behemoth... he is disturbed. Look, he's running toward us.)_

 _Y-You're right... what in heaven?_

 _(Uh oh.)_

 _Winston, what in blazes is going on here!?_

 _(...This is bad.)_

 _Winston!_

She felt a nearly earth shaking vibe coming off of him, and it was bad.

Nori grabbed his shoulders, and shook him.

"What the FUCK is going on!?" She screamed.

They all stopped to stare at her.

"Wow..." Said Talin.

"From you? That was... um... unexpected."

Winston shook his head, and grabbed Nori.

He and the other Leviathan's bolted toward Chikakū.

"WHAT IS THIS!?" She wailed.

"No time to explain Nori! The tables have turned!" Winston yelled.

Chikakū scooped them all up, his softly booming voice carrying waves ominously in the wind.

"Et sic factum est, et semper fuit, et sic erit semper. Aeterna... Aeterna... Aeterna ..."

 _(And so it is, and so it has always been, and so it will always be. Eterna... Eterna... Eterna...)_

 _What...? What's happening to us?_

Sora rubbed her back.

Uwayaku-kuhn pulled her into a hug.

"I don't know what's happening right now..." Said Sora softly.

"All I know, is that we either live, or we die. No pressure."

Uwayaku-Kuhn groaned with dismay.

"And that was supposed to help her HOW SORA!?"

She waved a dismissive hand.

"Yaku-Kuhn... You're so overdramatic. You and Kuhn both. I am simply motivating her to survive. I won't sugar coat the truth to make her 'feel better'. Fear is an excellent motivator for not dying."

He made a mocking voice.

" 'I am simply motivating her to survive' WELL STOP BEING A SOCIOPATH!"

She scoffed.

"Pft! Me? Yaku-Kuhn, if I were a sociopath, I would have harvested your organs long ago."

He chuckled.

"I think you were referring to a psychopath dear."

"You two are SO INAPPROPRIATE!" Nori screamed.

"THIS IS IT...!" ChiKaKū wailed, his voice held the echo of a thousand sirens as the ground began to shake.

He jumped up thousands of feet above the blood roads...

Nori gaped at the destruction before her.

They were all high enough to see all of purgatory... or what was left of it.

Tears streamed down Sora's eyes.

"There go all of the red toads... what a tragedy, truly."

Uwayaku-Kuhn's eyes widened.

"SORA! LOOK!"

A clear, almost mirror like sphere was plummeting to the ground.

Kuhn was running toward them from inside of the sphere, a bundle of three wailing infants in his hands.

...The sphere began to shrink.

Both Chikakū and the sphere were plummeting at equal speeds now.

Kuhn blasted through the sphere, Junichi and Katsu following suit.

Shisuta and Haruka followed.

Linn and Karo ran toward the sphere...

They ran into it, as if running into a wall.

"LINN!" Kuhn wailed!

"Come on love! YOU CAN MAKE IT!"

Karo began ramming into the exit.

He was mouthing Shisuta's name, and Haruka's name, silent screams escaping his lips.

"Karo! KARO COME ON!" Shisuta screamed.

Haruka was in a state of frozen pain, her lower lip trembled. Her face became pale.

Linn was banging on the exit, tears streaming down her cheeks...

Her arms fell to her side, a sad smile crossed onto her lips.

She mouthed words that were indiscernible as they both plunged into darkness...

...

Never again the same, the fated group of warriors rose out of the darkness...

But into what...?

Only they can say that.

As the center is swallowed by this great rift of darkness, a smile crosses the lips of a woman, with the heart of an innocent child.

She holds the pieces in her hands, and she whispers...

"Hmm... I wonder what they'll do next?"


	25. Chapter 25

_****Wow, talk about a climactic change! I almost cried writing it to be perfectly honest, but I also really enjoyed writing it.**_

 ** _The song "Her Cathedral" by Tim Story was playing on my Pandora as I was writing the scene where the seed plummets to the ground, and two characters Linn and Karo are trapped behind its only living exit._**

 ** _Talk about tears! You try listening to that song while reading that scene... it's freaking heart breaking!_**

 ** _It's the universe sending me a message saying: Amazingartistry... You're a diiiccckkkkk..._**

 ** _Well, I am. I really am. It's what I'm here for. ;)_**

 ** _Well, anyway_**

 ** _Enjoy Chapter 25! :)**_**

Chapter 25: Now, Where Are We?

Five years have passed since the Great Rift created the sea of darkness, separating the islands of reality.

I was left with the cumbersome responsibility of holding this mess together, and somehow reviving it in a way that was sustainable.

I would say that I was very successful.

This is the masterpiece of the universe as is, a decadent sea keeps afloat these gems of light which are my islands. It correlates with my innate being as a river spirit, and a protector.

You would think that where I am is a very lonely position, but this is contrary to the fact.

It is actually invigorating to see these realities unfold into endless possibilities. It is possibly one of the most fulfilling situations I have been in by far, and a feat that never ceases to satisfy.

Why then, would I not just live out my days in endless contentment, watching over my precious islands ?

Because of the simple fact that my days are not endless.

I discovered something very disconcerting over the past five years...

...This sea of darkness, which has been integrated with my own aura, has been slowly dissipating. This causes the islands of reality to drift apart, and gradually become immaterial.

What's worse, the more my essence thins, the more likely it is that I will have a close encounter with one of the immortals.

It has happened more than once.

Now, I assume you are wondering what happened to the souls that were enraptured in a certain blood seer's glamours...

I cannot say, for their eyes have not yet opened.

However, I can say this.

There will be a trial by fire, and only the worthy shall rise up into its flames...

...

 _Body of water... heart of water... soul of water..._

 _*Um... Eiji?*_

 _Yes Kohaku...?_

 _*You did it wrong again.*_

 _What!? That's impossible! I got the mantra correct!_

 _Oh well... another day then._

Eiji stretched his back and arms, his body leaving a state of deep meditation.

He was sitting next to the Kohaku River, his back pressed against the trunk of a shaded willow tree.

His muscles were stiff, and he felt a sharp pain as a loud pop sounded in his shoulders.

He allowed the quick wave of pain to surface, followed by a soft feeling of warmth and relief.

Eiji loved stretching after his meditations.

He was about to stand, when he felt a tug in his pants...

The 19 year old Eiji groaned in dismay.

" Ugghhhhnnn! Dammit... why? Every single time!"

He just sat there, hoping the shade of the tree would hide his embarrassment.

 _And I'm wearing these dress pants, because mom insists I look nice for the town meeting with the 12 elders, and I tried explaining to her why I don't like to wear these pants at least a dozen times since she had bought them!_

 _(You didn't exactly get your point across clearly.)_

 _Yeah!? Well, Neon that's my mom._

 _There are so many problems that I didn't think I would have to deal with that I now have to deal with._

 _Being a human male is overrated._

Neon dropped down from out of the tree.

She had been separated from Eiji's back for over three years now.

She was honestly surprised she could hold on for that long...

Eiji wasn't the only one who felt the strain of Neon on his back. Neon felt her strain, and his own.

She gave a short grunt, and an eyeroll.

 _(Well, Eiji you know why this is important. You have to have a good standing with the elders so you can be aware of all of the towns people. You need to know who moves in and out of that house in specific. You know, the giant mansion that Loki and her family will move into?)_

 _Yeah, I know... it's not easy staying focused though. I've only spent about five years waiting for one event. That's all..._

Eiji had fallen into a general routine, though he had never forgotten his mission.

Figuring out when Loki was going to appear, that was the easy part, albeit very boring.

Keeping up with Kohaku? That was a different matter all together.

Kohaku shot out of the river, standing on a floating pad of water.

Eiji jumped.

"You are both thinking very intently. I commend you."

Eiji shook his head.

Well, at least the protruding lump in his pants was gone.

He stood.

"You really do just pop out of nowhere Kohaku... How are you?"

The young Kohaku gave a spry and pleasant smile.

"I am doing very well! You are vastly improving master Eiji."

Eiji felt a bashful energy overtake him.

"Well, I-I mean... I'm no master! Ha, well..."

Kohaku shook his head.

"Just say thank you."

Eiji nodded.

"Thank you."

It had taken Eiji an entire year to gain contact with the river spirit known as the Kohaku river, who was also his father.

Though Eiji despised the long and droning meetings each week, he was very grateful for the elders and the help they had given him.

If it weren't for them, Eiji might have never figured out how to connect with the energies of water. Kohaku took a direct interest in Eiji, because he saw an innate talent for river magick laying dormant within him, even in his mortal form.

He also took an interest in Chihiro, viewing her as the mortal incarnate of an earth goddess.

Eiji mused on this memory.

 _He definitely recognized mom... though, he kind of worships her more like a mother figure..._

 _I remember when orchids kept blowing into our windows and the outskirts of our small home, and Kohaku simply claimed he was making pilgrimage to the human earth mother Chihiro, and leaving offerings at the 'shrine' we lived at. I tried to tell him it was our house, but he insisted it must be a shrine, because a goddess lived there._

 _Mom wouldn't stop laughing when I told her..._

Speaking of laughter, a hoard of giggling young women began to run toward Eiji.

 _(Uh oh! Looks like your fans are back!)_

 _Yeah they are! Shit..._

 _*Yeah... have fun with that one.*_

Kohaku plopped back into his river.

The women circled around Eiji and Neon.

The scarlet red head that had been hounding Eiji to no end, began to speak.

She pointed her index finger out at Eiji.

"See!? We know it's you Haku! You're that steamy river spirit, and you need to come out and bask in the light of your own glory! We all know the truth! Thorns of Fate is real! REAL!"

Eiji felt like he could vomit in his own mouth.

"You're disrespecting a sacred grove with your overly idealistic portrayals of Kohaku... Please go away."

 _Max? If we all make it out of this alive, I'm going to fucking kill you._

The crowd of women swooned with adoration.

"He's so dark and mysterious... just like in the book!"

They all cheered in agreement.

He put his hands up.

"What part of 'Go. Away.' Don't you understand!? I think I've made it pretty damn clear that I am NOT Haku! I'm going to be late! Don't make me ride Neon through you guys again. You know how that ends!"

The scarlet stalker, also known as Madoka, twirled her hair around her finger and giggled loudly.

"Ooooh... Wow, tough guy! Mmmm... So forceful and full of will..."

A blonde woman, roughly the age of seventeen, was moved to frantic joyful tears.

"Oh-! Oh my heavens! It's...! IT'S JUST LIKE IN THE BOOK!"

"JUST LIKE IN THE BOOK!" They all wailed, bolting toward Eiji.

 _Neon, you know what to do!_

 _(Yep... this again. I got this, hop on.)_

Neon jumped over the hoard of Eiji's angst filled followers, making a small dent in the ground as they raced toward the village square.

Eiji just hoped to god they weren't late again...

...

The head elder Gesu-yarō, smacked his dark wooden oak cane hard against the palm of his hand.

"In subordinate, disrespectful, and a sloth like demeanor! Are these the values in which we are to raise future generations!?"

Eiji had to supreme an eyeroll.

 _Seriously!? Man... this guy has been out to get me since day one! It's like the moment I was accepted into the rank of apprentice elder, this guy has wanted me out of here._

 _(Yeah, I've never had a good feeling about him. The guy gives me the creeps!)_

 _Tell me about it, and have you seen his aura?_

 _It's pretty vile._

Chihiro spoke up.

"My son has tried his very best to make it to these meetings on time. It seems that every week he is hounded by your daughter, Madoka. Why is it that this has been happening so conveniently, or rather, inconveniently on the same Thursday every week?"

Eiji rolled his eyes.

"Because that's the day they get together in their little 'fan club'. It's ridiculous. 'Order of the Thorn' they call it. More like a thorn in my side!"

At least five of the elders began to chuckle.

Chihiro shook her head, laughing.

"They're still going on about that!? I didn't know it had gotten so bad!"

All of the elders were laughing now.

"Thorns of Fate is REAL!" Cheered elder Yūjin in his most cheesy feminine voice.

Eiji busted out laughing, and even Neon began snorting.

Gesu-yarō stood.

"Enough!" He yelled.

"The things I must deal with coming from the mouths of you delinquents! My daughter is an upstanding citizen! She was the top of her class in her youth, and is currently a scholar in medicine up at the prestigious 'Healer's Institute' atop that mountain yander which she must climb! She is gone almost all days of the week, and if she so chooses to follow her fancies on her spare time, then I say she has well earned it! Do not forget that this boy was an outsider! And-!"

Master Yūjin held up his hand, a laid back smile crossing his lips.

"Now I'm going to have to stop you right there. Master Eiji was an outsider, but that hasn't stopped us before. He has true potential, and was your very own grandfather not an outsider with the same potential?"

Gesu-yarō sat back down again, a glowering look in his eyes, his aura a deep and muddied red.

Yūjin clapped his hands together.

"Now then, concerning the news on the town. Ahem..."

He pulled out a large scroll, and Eiji felt the urge to rest his head on his knees and sleep.

 _Here we go again..._

 _Ha, hey Neon? How many cows does it take to..._

 _Neon?_

 _(Zzz... Zzz... Zzz...)_

 _Traitor..._

"Grand-Lady Yuki sold two chickens this week! And I promise you this makes a much larger difference than the two she sold just one week ago..."

Eiji couldn't help but smile.

Elder Yūjin knew exactly how boring these were, and he always added a fun spin onto everything.

He was the awesome elder, and he knew it.

The other elders looked up at him in amusement... all except for Gesu-yarō, who was still moping in his seat.

"Next we have Master Sai, the status of the upkeep of his lawn..."

 _He messed it up again, didn't he?_

 _Why am I not surprised..._

"Finished."

Eiji nearly jumped in his seat.

The surrounding elders held expressions that were riddled with amusement.

"I know right?" Said elder Yūjin, with a comedic gesture of the hand.

Eiji laughed softly.

"Good lord, how long has it been now? Two years? He finally finished it... thank goodness."

Eiji felt his eyes beginning to droop as he continued.

Yūjin was the best at this, but there was only so long you could keep current events in a town like this entertaining...

"Now, here we have a topic on..."

 _Yeah, yeah... The 10,000 year old dog from around the corner... he's still al-_

 _(EIJI! Listen!)_

"Concerning the status of Valheim Manor..."

Eiji perked up.

"Ah! Why yes, there are prospectors!"

He felt an almost painful tingling of energy lurch up his spine.

 _This is it! The Toft family will be one of these prospectors, and I can prevent this whole mess, and we can go home! NEON! WE CAN GO HOME!_

 _(Hold on... just wait for him to say who they are.)_

Neon was itching witch excitement, but she didn't want to be disappointed.

"The prospectors are..."

 _Come on...! Come ON! Just say it already!_

"The Chigau family!"

One of the other elders spoke up.

"It's so nice to see fresh faces entering into our humble abode. This place is my home, and..."

 _How much longer do I have to wait!?_

 _Neon... where are they? Sometimes I wonder if we were sent too far back..._

 _Father..._

 _Please answer me father._

 _(Eiji... I'm sorry. I was excited too.)_

She had the most sorrowful expression on her face.

Eiji sighed and pet her head softly.

 _I know you were... even mom looks a little sad._

 _(Yeah... I just hope we can clear this up soon.)_

 _You and me both!_

"Well, that just about wraps things up!" Said Yūjin, more chipper than usual.

"You're all 'free to go'."

Eiji stood and left with the others.

He couldn't blame Yūjin for his excitement.

There was something new going on, and that put everything on a a lighter note.

Hell, even Gesu-yarō was at least calmed by the news.

For him? That was progress!

 _It went from riding by the side of the leviathans, to chasing the goats back into their pens._

 _It went from escaping a black death wall, to attempting to escape the void which is this town and it's boredom._

 _Five years..._

 _Five years and I have not adjusted to this._

 _Five years and I haven't forgotten..._

 _Father, Zeniba, Shisuta, Kuhn..._

 _Hiro._

A pit of guilt pooled in his heart.

Even after all of these years, he still felt ashamed of his mistake.

 _Hikari... I know you were a good soul in a bad place, and heavens help me I still love you!_

 _I don't know Hikari anymore._

 _I don't even know Hiro anymore... I do have to wonder though, is she even still alive...?_

 _Where are you Hiro?_

 _Where on earth are you..._


	26. Chapter 26

**_**My writers block is gone! :D I am finally writing at full speed again, and my brain is just FLOODING with ideas! I am so excited to write the rest of this, and I personally like the abstract twist I am taking on it. My writing style has changed over the last 2 to 3 years, and I'm aware that it reads a little differently now. I do hope that's a pleasant change._**

 ** _The concept of the islands will have me stewing in my head for weeks!_**

 ** _I hope you've enjoyed yourselves up until now, and as always,_**

 ** _Enjoy Chapter 25! :)**_**

Chapter 25: A Mouthful and an Eiffel, High Speed Heist

(Say that five times fast)

The wooden chariot went tearing through the rugged dirt path, sending chunks of loose stone and sand like dirt flying into the faces of the angry noblemen who were chasing after it.

Hiro lifted her hands up in the air.

"Enculer l'aristocratie!" She yelled.

Max shook her.

"Are you fucking out of your mind!? Both you and Kahn are stuck in mortal bodies until we travel away from earth! They can and will kill you!"

She busted out laughing.

"We only have five minutes before your red travel amulet recharges! We'll be fine!"

Max still had a glamour on the dreamstone amulet... it was enough to fool Hiro, but Lilith had already figured it out.

If you used the amulet too many times within a certain time frame, it would 'burn out' in a sense.

At first, Hiro was fairly hesitant about inter-dimensional travel...

Once she got started though, there was no stopping her.

Max glanced back nervously at the noble Frenchmen pulling out their new and polished muskets.

What Hiro had screamed at them translates to "fuck the aristocracy" or roughly to a more common phrase, "fuck the police".

The peasants stared at the scene before them, aghast and in fear.

Some of the wealthier citizens cheered her down the road, raising their fists in approval.

The rest had to move out of the way, taking care to remove any valuables from the path of Hiro and her chariot of death.

The chariot passed by some market place stands, and Hiro began snatching up rolls and sweets, along with an elegant purple dress.

She finished off half of the rolls, and threw the remainder of them along with the sweets to the urchins on the streets.

She kept the dress.

A bullet flew past her head.

She jumped, and then started laughing.

"Woah! That was close!"

She looked back toward the French nobles with guns.

"Qui vous a enseigné comment viser!? C'était pathétique!"

Two more bullets flew past her. She sat back and laughed.

"They shoot even worse when they're angry!"

Kahn held the bridge of his nose.

"Why you insist on pissing off french nobles right before a damn war is beyond me! You know what? I'll handle this. Just... fine!"

Lilith laughed. "Don't be too long!"

 _Kahn launched himself off of the chariot and on top of a shaded building._

 _Kahn spent most of his mortal time training his human body to match his purgatory body._

 _Whenever they traveled to an earth realm, both Hiro and Kahn fell into a state of mortality for the remainder of the trip._

 _Lilith was one of the immortals, and so she had no necessity to change forms._

 _Max had restored his leviathan immortality, and though he was no longer a full fledged leviathan, his form was consistent._

 _...At least that was what Kahn knew._

 _He pulled out his crossbow, which in physical form had large bolts laced in a lethal acid._

 _He grinned._

 _I love this thing..._

 _Well, time to create history... again._

 _And it's usually because of Hiro._

 _He drew back his crossbow and loaded one of these lethal bolts..._

 _He let the long and narrow bolt fly into the heart of the first noble, and the acid from the bolt caused the man to disintegrate before the eyes if the town._

 _The bolt also disintegrated, and quickly reappeared with the other bolts in the pouch on Kahn's back._

 _One of the towns women began to scream._

 _"C'est le prince frappant de la sainte obscurité! Les contes sont vrais! Nous allons tous mourir!"_

 _That roughly translated to: It is the smiting prince of holy darkness!_

 _Soon followed by: The tales are true! We are all gonna die!_

 _Kahn smiled to himself._

 _That was a vast improvement from 'you assassinating bastard!' Or 'kill snipe!'_

 _...Apparently he had stolen another man's mark._

 _That was an awful mess to get out of too!... Hiro. She just had to fuck with the duchess of spain._

 _She is most definitely a_ _soul filled with the light of justice... tinged with the fire of mischief._

 _She always has been, though it has become one of her more prominent features._

Kahn finished off the rest of the noblemen, and made a seamless escape to the chariot.

He laughed, shaking his head.

"Alright!... that was fun. You, miss Hiro, certainly know how to make an exit."

Lilith practically jumped on him, pressing kisses against his skin.

Hiro gave an extravagant bow, standing up on top of the unstable chariot flying toward the Notre Dame at high speeds.

A vein practically burst in Max's skull.

"Au revoir Paris de 1787! J'espère que vous avez apprécié le spectacle!"

Max let his amulet take them into another timeless transition bubble.

He turned to Hiro, her hands held behind her head, and her feet kicked up on the edge of the chariot.

"That was pretty fun." She said, nonchalant.

Lilith was still making out with Kahn in the back compartment of the chariot.

Max held the bridge of his nose.

"I think you've had enough for one day... I mean come on. 'Goodbye Paris of 1787! I hope you enjoyed the show!'? Are you serious!? That was right before the French Revolution! Do you have any idea how many people died in that war!? You may have just prematurely started it!"

She waved a hand.

"We'll go back and fix it. And guess what? Yeah, we can do that, by going back and doing nothing... as boring as that is."

Max shook his head. "There is a timeline that is permanently marked with bloodshed. In fact, there are several time lines marked with bloodshed! Kahn has had to fix a LOT of YOU'RE MISSTEPS!"

Hiro sat up straight and gave him a piercing gaze.

"You can't argue with the fact that the corruption on earth is heavy and riddled with these noble born pricks! I don't care about their deaths, when the masses are fucking starving!"

Max glared at her.

"Oh, so that's what this is about. You do remember you were once technically a noble right? Remember Deadmarch? Yeah... that little detail. Some of these 'noble pricks' simply didn't know any better. Some of them were children who were butchered in the streets. That could have been you."

Hiro froze.

Lilith stepped out of the back compartment.

"Okay, just hold on a second. So you're telling me that those children were innocent!? I've seen these 'innocent' children order their rich father's and mothers to have citizens killed, because they were bored... Yeah, that little detail."

Max scoffed.

"Yes, but you can't deny that in wars such as this, many innocents are in fact slaughtered, because the revolutionaries need fresh blood."

Hiro nodded.

"I see this, but sometimes sacrifices have to be made for the future of a people as a whole."

Kahn gave an annoyed groan. He stepped out of the back of the chariot, and stood next to Lilith.

"Look, Hiro, you see the big picture. Max, you see every single detail. You piss each other off because of this. I hate the fighting. Max, stop nitpicking Hiro. Hiro, stay out of this insane trouble you get yourself into. All of you, gain some perspective!... How many times must I fix these things?"

Hiro looked down.

"Alright fine... I'll stay out of trouble."

Max sighed.

"Thank you. You know it's because I worry about you too, right?"

She nodded slowly.

"Yes... I do."

She smiled, seeming to shake off the argument.

"So, where to next...?"

She let out a yawn.

"I think we're all pretty tired hun." Lilith commented.

Kahn nodded.

"Agreed. Let's stop by the cavern in purgatory and get some sleep."

There was only one place in purgatory available for travel at this point, and that was the cavern.

...Well, the only safe place anyway.

There was Nephthys's region, but there was no way that Max would take Hiro or anyone near that awful place.

Besides, the cavern in 10,000 B.C. was absolutely stunning in split dimension 4, and lush with life and trees.

This is also the space that everyone put their acquired things... it was pretty much a home base.

Max had placed soft beds there for all of them, most of all Hiro.

He practically lavished her in nice things.

The bubble disintegrated around them, and they were in the cavern. Specifically the parking space Hiro had created for the chariot.

A warm fire lit up the place with a soft light.

It was night.

Max smiled.

"Well, we're home everyone. Let's get some sleep."

Everyone went off to their beds.

Max was headed toward his bed, then he felt Hiro grab his arm.

"Max, wait... I um..."

He turned toward her, stroking her hand.

"Yes, what is it...? You seem distressed."

Her heart was pounding in her chest.

Just tell him!

Tell him how you feel!

It's a good thing we can't read each others minds!

What about Eiji though...?

I really don't know him anymore, and we were just kids when we fell in love.

Max... I'm... I'm just so unsure.

Max had to block the mind link after Hiro saw some of what Nephthys did to him. She couldn't stop crying for almost two days.

She sighed.

"I'm sorry about today... I don't know what's gotten into me. I just... I just get at so angry when I see injustice. It's like... it's like I have to do something about it!"

Max held both of Hiro's hands in his.

Her face turned a soft red.

"You have a good and gentle heart Hiro... a-and I'm sorry for what I said as well. I should have approached it more kindly, and I'm sorry."

She felt the intense need to kiss him...

Then she felt a tug in her heart.

She sighed.

"It's alright... You know I lo-"

She caught herself, her face turning bright red.

"I-I really care about you! I don't like disappointing you..."

Max's face began to burn a bright red as well.

"Y-Yes, I know... You didn't disappoint me, you scared me... do you have any idea how much I-!?"

He caught himself.

"I-I care about you too... You are my best friend, and if I were to lose you I don't know what I would do."

She wrapped him in a hug.

"I couldn't lose you either! Not now... I mean, I have before but..."

She pulled away.

"God, that was rude! I mean, it-it's not as if I didn't kiss you-! I-! I mean, mi ss you! Where did that come from!? Haha, well, goodnight! Good talk! Haha...! Yeah..."

She quickly walked to her bed, and closed the curtain.

She liked him.

Max had known this for at least three years now.

 _Hiro, I am only waiting for you to tell me..._

 _Just say the word, and I will take you._

 _I can't have you if you aren't ready, and I won't sway your decision._

He pulled out his sketchpad and began to draw her.

She was standing on top of their Elisabethan chariot they had claimed in the Renaissance era. Her arms were outstretched to her sides, an open mouthed smile on her face as rolls and sweets hit the ground, causing flowers to burst forth from the soil...

 _She scared him, this was true._

 _At the same time, Max could never deny how beautiful she was..._

 _You, my counterpart... You are truly my opposite. You get on my nerves, you are loud, and you see so much of what I cant, as I do the same for you._

 _You cause trouble, you miss little details which I find incredibly important and yet it all works out in the end..._

 _And god, you are beautiful..._

 _Simply and stunningly beautiful._

 _When I find the throne room, I'll help create a world with justice._

 _I promise you Hiro, I will do it._

 _We all will..._

 _I have also promised that I would follow this path, and I will fulfill my mission._

 _Don't think I have forgotten your words, mother goddess..._

Max felt a warmth spread over his chest as he closed his sketchpad and retired to his bed.

He smiled, looking above the cavern ceiling, and seeing hope filled clouds.

"Goodnight universe, we have another long day ahead of us tomorrow."


	27. Chapter 27

_****Hey readers! I realize that there have been some issues with the italics as I write the chapters. I apologize for this, and I'm trying to edit this to the best of my ability. I am working from a Samsung tablet, and will try harder to make this better. Thank you for your patience, and I hope you are enjoying yourselves.**_

 ** _Enjoy Chapter 27! :)**_**

Chapter 27: An Underground Cavern, Misplaced Children

Miru was wandering about the rough and rocky walls of her home, letting the condensation drip down her hand as she traced it along the crevices of stones.

She held her hand up, letting the water trickle down her fingers.

She smiled.

Hasu saw her, and began walking next to her.

"Watch'ya doing Miru?" She asked.

She pointed at the wall.

 _"I am touching this wall... I like the way the water feels on my fingers."_

Miru did not speak like her sisters.

She had the ability to project words as thoughts, but only shared this with Hasu and Chikara.

Hasu nodded.

"Okay. Um... can we play? I'm bored."

Miru gave a small look of dismay.

 _"You always say that... go read a book. It's fun."_

Hasu rolled her eyes.

"That's boring. I want to do fun things, like..."

She pointed excitedly.

"Like climb that rock over there! That one, with all the pretty plants! C'mon! The grown ups won't see!"

Miru looked down sadly.

 _"You mean dad, and the other grown ups... Why doesn't dad love us? Where's mom?"_

Hasu looked at her in confusion.

"Whadda you mean? You keep talking 'bout dad, but which one? They're all kind of our mom and dad! Shisuta! She's like a mom, right? So's Haruka! Look for them!"

Tears began to fall down Miru's cheeks.

 _"Why doesn't anyone else remember!? Hasu, Kuhn is our daddy! D-Don't you remember that!? Why doesn't dad remember!?"_

Hasu wrapped her into a hug.

"Don't cry! Don't cry! Please... I'm sorry! W-We can climb up that rock and have fun, a-and, j-just..."

Hasu burst into tears.

"Y-You Never say good things! Why are you always so sad!? Why won't you just have fun and play with me!?"

She ran off.

 _Why does she always do that..._

 _I was having fun, I was just having quiet fun._

 _That's also fun, it just doesn't get you into trouble._

She sat with her legs crossed on the ground, and rested her head in her hands.

 _Why do they all act like mom never existed... and, why isn't dad our dad? Who's are we? Are we anyone's? Why can't I just be happy like Hasu? Even Chikara is happier than I am, and she's usually grumpy._

 _M-Maybe I should give her a big hug, and we can climb that rock._

 _Yeah, Hasu's right!_

 _What could go wrong if the grown ups don't see!_

She walked up to Hasu.

Hasu shook her head.

"Mm, mm! No! You're mean."

Miru gave her a flat look.

 _"Let's climb the rock._ "

Hasu's features instantly lit up.

"Really!? You want to climb it with me!? REALLY!?"

Hasu tackled her in a hug.

"Yay! Thank you thank you thank you!"

Miru struggled to break free.

 _"I CAN'T BREATHE HASU!"_

Hasu let her go.

She laughed.

"Why didn'tchya just say!... oh yeah. Sorry."

Miru shook her head.

 _"You're fine."_

The two approached the large and moss covered rock.

Hasu grinned.

"Look! I didn't see that there before! A ladder. We could climb that, and see what's up there!"

Miru beheld the rickety rope ladder riddled with rot and half eaten away by the plant life.

She physically gulped.

 _"This is a bad idea Hasu... that ladder looks like it'll break if we try to climb it."_

She gave Miru the most incredulous look.

"There's nothing else! Have ya ever seen another room!? I havent, cause this is our house."

Miru looked away.

 _A wooden cabin, and the warm_ snow...

She sighed.

 _"Fine. Let's go."_

Hasu gave a sharp nod.

"Right!"

They walked toward the nasty rotting ladder, and Miru noticed a pungent smell.

 _"Ew... Hasu, this is gross. I don't want to touch that."_

Hasu busted out laughing.

"Oh, C'mon! You'll be okay Miru, just wash your hands after!"

A head poked out from the top of the rock.

Chikara looked down at both of them.

She was in a good mood.

"Whadda you want?"

Hasu gaped.

"Y-You climbed that rock... and... and you DIDN'T TELL ME!?"

Chikara nodded.

"Right, and I found this cool giant metal branch thingy... um, it's a little heavy..."

She thought for a moment.

"Hey! You two could help me drop it off the rock!"

A wide and open mouthed grin enveloped Hasu's face.

"Of COURSE we will! C'mon Miru, let's go!"

Miru shook her head.

 _"It's not safe."_

Hasu grabbed her hand.

"That's okay, cause if you're afraid, I'll just help you climb the ladder! See!? Not scary!"

Hasu began to drag Miru up the ladder.

If Miru could only scream...

She was incredibly afraid of heights, and this was certainly not her idea of fun.

Miru was shaking when they reached the top of the rock.

Chikara gave a warning look to Hasu.

"Hasu, you did it again! Look at miru, she's scared!"

Hasu tilted her head to the side.

"What...? Whadda you mea- oh... yeah, I forgot."

Miru pointed an angry finger at Hasu.

 _"FORGOT!? Are you CRAZY!? I could've DIED! Why does it have to be a pain in MY butt!?"_

Chikara laughed.

"Wow! She got even more mad than last time."

She shook her head.

"Now, look at this big freaking metal thingy!"

Hasu's eyes widened.

"Woah... that's so cool. Look at all the spikes!... I dare you to lick it Chikara!"

Chikara gave her a flat look.

She was not amused.

"I'm not dumb." She stated.

Hasu looked down, smiling nervously.

"Well, hehe, it was worth a shot!... hehe, hmm..."

Chikara rolled her eyes.

"Here, just help me drop it off the rock now please!... Miru, sit in the back so you don't have to see the ground."

She gave a shaky nod.

 _"Okay..."_

She stumbled over to the back...

She noticed a few things as she allowed herself to calm.

This wasn't a rock cave, it was a little room with light wooden walls.

She glanced over to the left corner of the room, and saw a wooden trunk.

As Hasu and Chikara tried to heave the spiked metal mass over the edge with varying attempts at success, Miru edged toward the trunk to reveal it's contents.

...She opened the trunk, and lifted out an old and leather bound book, it's cover was coated in several layers of dust and mites.

Some of the dust trickled up into her nose, and she let out a soft sneeze, which blew off the rest of the dust, and left a distasteful bubble of snot dribbling down her nostrils.

She clenched her lips together.

 _"Heeellp! I need a TISSUE!"_

Hasu glanced over at Miru, and started laughing.

"Chikara! CHIKARA! Look at her! She's... she's! She's covered in SNOT!"

She waved her hand.

"I have some napkins in my pocket Miru, don't you worry!"

Chikara shook her head.

"You sillies! Geeze... that was pretty funny."

Hasu handed Miru her crumpled up napkins.

Miru gave a small sigh of relief.

 _"Thank you Hasu.."_

Hasu's eyes widened.

"Oh, WOW! Chikara, look what Miru found!"

Chikara walked over to her sisters.

She smiled.

"Cool! Good find Miru... er, what does it say?"

Miru smiled and opened the contents of the book.

She saw the words on the front page which was used as the cover, and read the words to her sisters through thought.

 _" 'A Ride Through the Eons, The Heart of the Seed' -By: Max the Immortal"_

Chikara raised an eyebrow.

"Okay, that does sound freaking awesome... Um, can you read it to us? N-Not that I can't read! B-But-!"

Miru nodded eagerly.

 _"Sure! I would love that!"_

She loved reading like a plant loved water. She was excited that her sisters wanted to do something that she liked for once.

Hasu clapped her hands together, practically jumping with excitement.

"Oh my gosh! Oh my gosh! I LOVE STORIES!"

Miru was just about to turn the page, when they heard a woman's voice yelling from the entrance of the cave below the rock...

It was Shisuta.

"What are you three doing up there!? And how in heaven did you climb this beast!? I... I am honestly almost too impressed to be... Wait, NO! That is dangerous. Come down now, and be careful."

Chikara walked over to the edge of the rock.

"C'mon aunty Shisu! We used a!... where did the ladder go!?"

Hasu ran to where Chikara was.

"It-it's gone!" She exclaimed.

Miru felt a chill creep up her spine.

She turned around, and her blood ran cold...

The cave, was now just a cave with old stone walls, and no wooden trunk.

She clutched the book in her hands, peering at the carved stone door in the center of the stone wall room...

She was shaking.

She knew somehow, that beyond that door would be the answer to her questions...

What would overtake young Miru's mind?

Her overwhelming fear?

...Or perhaps, her undying curiosity.


	28. Chapter 28

Chapter 28: Dreams Of The Wary Wanderer

Emi and Fred held off the fortress again, the hound servants of Nephthys wandering close by.

Emi pricked her finger with a small needle, and summoned a wall of protection.

"These creatures don't know when to quit! Damn... to think we were able to stay hidden for two years! Two fucking years Fred!... Dammit."

Fred gave a solemn sigh.

"It was quite the impressive feat, yes... sadly, we must keep moving Emika."

Tears threatened to surface...

She ignored them.

"Alright then."

She looked back.

"Okay you five! We need to move again, we've been discovered."

They stood at attention, saluting.

"Yes general Emika! We are at your disposal general!"

She nodded.

"Good... George! Look for the nearest escape route. Omar and Mathias!"

"Yes Ma'am!" They both chanted in sync.

"Gather all supplies. Take only what we need, and nothing else!"

They began gathering supplies.

She looked toward the last two.

"Maren and Artemis, scout ahead after George."

"On it!" They replied.

They went off to catch up with George.

Emi looked forward.

"Dammit! We've been trapped inside of this hole for for over seven years! Is there an end to this madness!?"

Fred shook his head.

"I'm not sure. The only way to find out is to keep moving ahead like this. You know that."

 _(Oh, and happy birthday by the way!)_

 _Is it already that time!? Damn, 24 and I already feel like I'm 45..._

 _(Nonsense! You don't look a day over 20!)_

Emi grinned.

"Yeah right, but thanks anyway! That's alright, this place ages you. I think it looks good on me!"

One of the raging hounds phased in front of Emi, teeth bared for the kill.

Emi slid back and charged her already bloodied finger with magic, a chronos lion phased at her side and she mounted her.

"Come and get me! Ya fucking mangy mutt!"

The hound phased it's jaw inside of Emi's skull, crunching down and ending her...

-...-

..."Come and get me! Ya fucking..."

Emi shifted her weight on the chronos lion, causing her to stumble to the right.

She held out her dagger above her head to the left, and watched as it plunged into the hounds skull, ending the hound.

She shook her head.

"Deja Vu... Thanks Sarea."

The lion laughed in an elegant and feminine voice.

"It's no trouble! I do like helping you live, for you are quite a resourceful bunch."

Emi was grateful for Sarea.

If it weren't for her appearance, none of them could have survived Nephthys's wrath.

She appeared one day out of nowhere, the day that four leviathans were simultaneously slaughtered by rift hounds.

They had been in hiding for the first two years, and we're finally discovered.

Sarea had appeared, and all hounds had been dispatched and dealt with.

She said she had seen the deaths of all of them, and was impressed at how long Emi and the leviathans could stay hidden. She saw potential, and has been helping the group ever since.

A scampering sound was heard in the distance.

...In an instant the hound appeared dead on the floor in front of them, fading into darkness.

"She was young and reckless." Sarea stated.

"So much for her."

Emi heard a pause.

"Here's our window...!" She whispered frantically.

Sarea formed a bubble around them, and caught up with the others.

She looked down sadly at the sight of only four leviathans.

"So... this was the best possible outcome."

Maren was in tears, holding George's medallion with her cupped claws.

"H-He sacrificed himself to save us! Th-There was a hound sc-scouted ahead, and-!"

She began to wail, no longer able to speak coherent words.

Emi pushed back more tears.

"We have to keep moving Maren! I-I'm sorry, but he would have wanted you to live. We have to find another haven, or else we're ALL going to die!"

Maren fell into a silence that seemed to last an eternity.

She spoke.

"No more... No more hovels we name as havens. No more waiting to be killed."

Emi scoffed.

"What in the hell do you mean by-!?"

Maren crushed the medallion into a spike, and lodged it into her skull.

She collapsed, and faded into darkness.

Emi trembled for a moment.

She shook her head.

"She made her choice... the rest of you, keep moving! I won't ask again!"

The remaining three minus Fred gave her a quick salute, and went forward to search for another place to stay.

Sarea nodded.

"If we wait precisely three minutes and forty two seconds, these three will succeed."

Emi nodded blankly.

"I understand... thank you."

...

They appeared inside of their new home, and Emi felt the strain of at least three hours of constant and straining work on her back.

Sarea shook her head.

"They said they had it handled, but you insisted. Just as well, your construction tactics are... how do I put this? More subtle. Yes, that's it."

Emi let out an exhausted sigh.

"Damn... I did a great job."

Fred smiled. It seemed forced.

"Get some rest, you look like you need it."

She nodded sleepily, retiring to her quarters.

Somehow after having no memory of building the place, she knew exactly where her quarters were.

Sarea was definitely a trip, that's for sure!

She climbed underneath her linen covers, and rested her head.

She felt Fred on the edge of her mind.

 _Yes?_

 _(Emika, you need to cry. The pressure you are holding in is damaging you. I figured you needed your privacy, but still, you really need to do this for me okay?)_

 _What!? I'm fine! I mean... Okay, I see what you're saying._

Emi let herself relax...

Nothing.

 _Fred, I cant._

(You cant...? Oh, you're numb now... Damn.)

I'm okay now, so you don't need to worry about me.

(You may be numb now, but you are far from okay. Please... I'm so sorry. I can feel your pain...)

Fred, I wish there was more I could do.

(I wish there was too... I'm going to miss Maren.)

Me too fred.

That makes me sad, but I still can't cry.

(I know. I'm sorry Emika.)

 _It ain't yer..._

 _Your fault. It wasn't your fault._

She felt a smile from Fred.

 _(It was your original dialect. You will never truly lose it Emi.)_

 _Yeah, I know... I would rather not anyway._

She felt a smile cross her lips as she fell asleep.

...

The light shining through the trees was an intense and vivid golden green... it was so surreal, as if the color shouldn't exist.

Emi grinned.

"This is a dream. Nori, where are you?"

She loved these dreams, because she was always a couple years younger, and felt at least ten years better.

She heard a soft giggling in the distance.

"You will have to find me Emika!... Hey, guess what I'm wearing?"

Emi felt her face burn a bright red.

"Th-That lingerie from the last dream...?"

Nori gave a happy sigh.

"Mmm... worse."

Emi burst into laughter.

"You tease! Aww man!... Don't leave me hanging again! You know what happened last time."

Nori laughed.

"Yes, and I wish I would've stayed asleep! That was, well... um... how do I put this?"

Emi caught the edge of Nori's head poking out from behind a tree.

She snuck up behind her, and wrapped her arms around her, nibbling her ear.

"Pretty amazing...?" She whispered.

Emi realized what she was wearing, and blood could have practically shot out of her nose.

Nori flipped her around, and held her to the tree.

"Yes, but this time? It's my turn to be on top."

Nori was dressed in entirely fishnet and leather.

The stockings were fishnet, her gloves were leather.

The center piece which consisted of straps, just barely covering her breasts and nether regions?

Yeah, also leather.

Nori held her arms to the tree, pulling off her shirt with her teeth.

Emi grinned.

"Impressive! You're getting good at that..."

Nori slid her tongue up Emi's chest.

She tilted her head back and moaned as it trailed up to her neck and jawline.

Nori gave her ear a small bite.

"I'm also getting good at this..." She whispered softly.

Emi's breathing became shallow.

"Y-Yeah, you.. you are getting... very good at... oh my god."

It very quickly moved to a different room.

Emi was naked, strapped to a dining room table, and Nori licked her lips...

"It's been too long Emika, and I'm very hungry you see..."

"Damn!" Emi exclaimed.

"I guess it's true, virgins are naughty as hell!"

Nori began to tease her breasts.

"Oh? So I'm the naughty one? Do tell..."

Soft moans escaped her lips.

To Emi, being bound made every touch maddeningly pleasurable.

"You're the one who kept me waiting after all..."

Her lips began to move lower, and Emi felt her chest jolt up in the air, loud moans escaping her lips.

"Beg for it..." Nori commanded.

She spoke softly, but her voice held the aura of a queen.

"D-Don't stop!" She moaned.

Nori began to tease around it with her tongue.

"Not good enough." She taunted.

Emi felt her eyes roll back.

"Don't stop! Don't stop! Please! keep going!"

Nori laughed softly.

"Good..."

Nori began to pleasure her and Emi felt her mouth open wide, feeling warmth spread across her body as she finished her...

She felt like she was floating.

The straps released their hold on Emi, and Nori curled up beside her.

The room shifted into a bedroom.

Emi let her self relax, her lips parting softly as she smiled.

"Where have you been all my life...?" She whispered.

Nori gave her a soft kiss on the lips.

"Right here, right next to you... I missed you."

Emi gave a heavy sigh.

"I'm so sorry... it's been busy you know. We had to move again."

Nori's features held a solemn sadness.

"How many?" She pried.

Emi's lower lip quivered.

"T-Two..." She said softly, tears filling her eyes.

"A-And Maren, she..."

She began to sob softly.

Nori pulled her in close.

"Emika..." She whispered.

"It's all going to be okay... I'm here... always here love, always here..."

Emi clutched onto her and cried.

"Sh-She couldn't take it any more! N-Not Maren... No..."

Nori began to cry softly.

"I wish I could take you away from this..."

Emi sighed as the soft grey strands on her hair returned.

"Nori, this place is going to fully age me some day soon, you know that right?"

Nori trembled as she cried.

"I don't care! You're beautiful, and you are my partner, y-you hear!? I will not let you be alone, and I can't wait to see you again... I love you."

Nori wrapped her into a firm and embracing hug.

"I know. I love you to... hey, I think I figured out how fast this place moves in comparison to your timeline."

Nori perked up.

"Has Sarea been helping you!? Fantastic! This will help Shisuta and I greatly!"

Emi smiled.

"Yes, the difference in pace is multiplied on your timeline by 1.5 years. Oh, by the way I turned 24 today."

Nori grinned.

"Well then, I hope my dinner surprise sufficed! Happy birthday Emika."

Emi blushed.

"Well, actually that was wonderful. Thank you..."

Her features became light again, her hair a deep and auburn red.

Nori kissed both of her cheeks.

"See? Hope will fill your life with love and youth, and you're going to be okay! We'll get you out of that horrible realm. You'll love the cavern, and everyone else except Max and Hiro are there. Eiji too... I do worry about those three often. Kuhn doesn't seem to mind much, but he never knew her, so I suppose there's no harm. He misses Kahn though, and no one quite knows what happened to him..."

She went on about her life in the cavern, and the three children everyone looked after, along with Shisuta and the many experiments they had made and tested together. She then commented on never putting Sora and Shisuta together on a project unless you wanted to lose half of the cavern.

Emi liked listening to Nori, because it helped her release her own worries for a little while.

Besides, she was so entertaining.

"...And then Uwayaku-kuhn was so mad both Shisuta and I swore he should could have hemorrhaged at least once, or maybe he just..."

Her words trailed off, and the room faded into blackness.

Nori...?

 _Damn, she's waking up._

 _I wonder though..._

 _How are those kids doing?_

 _It's been too damn long, and hell, I hardly remember what they look like._

 _...Oh well, another thought for another day._

 _I just hope we all get out of this mess._


	29. Chapter 29

Chapter 29: Wisdom?

Eiji was sitting at the river again, chatting with Kohaku.

"How on earth am I getting this wrong? I keep saying the mantra word for word correctly so how is this possible?"

Kohaku laughed.

"I can't tell you! If you don't figure it out you'll never know."

"I just wish I could focus better..." Eiji grumbled.

"I cannot blame you there..." Said the child with a grimace.

"What, with all of the towns women enchanted under that strange spell? I would be scared too."

Eiji smiled as amusement washed over his features.

"Yeah, it's a spell alright. A spell of madness!"

Kohaku rolled on the ground laughing.

"They're crazy! Who wrote that silly book anyway?"

Eiji waved a hand.

"You wouldn't know him."

Kohaku smiled warmly.

"I like how you're not so serious like the other elders and masters! You are a LOT like elder Yūjin. I like him."

Eiji laughed.

"Who wouldn't like him!? Gesu-yarō, that's who!"

Eiji pouted out his upper lip, he stood and hunched his back over while shaking his fist.

"YŪJIIIN! Stop your insolent fun having AT ONCE! HOW DARE YOU BE JOYFUL!? *Cough HACK!* I'm SERIOUS!"

Kohaku began to laugh so hard he cried.

"It's - it's just LIKE HIM! Master Eiji, who taught you your impressions!? This person must have been a grand story teller!"

Eiji stopped, his features falling.

He took a moment of silence, a sad smile crossed his lips.

It was moments like this that Eiji really missed his dad.

"He certainly was Kohaku... Maybe someday you'll meet him."

The young river spirit felt concerned for Eiji.

"You look so sad master Eiji..."

Eiji sighed.

"Sometimes I get sad when I'm missing home..."

Kohaku smiled.

"Right! Can you tell me about it again? The trees with all of the flowers, and... and the birds that sing in songs of chords, as if multiple voices were joined in a harmony?"

Eiji grinned.

"Well, what story should I tell you this time? Hmm...? Let me think..."

Kohaku whirled in excitement.

"Your home is such a beautiful place! I don't know where to start! I only go off of what you tell me..."

He became timid, and Eiji sensed a different energy coming off of him.

Something new.

"M-May I see...? I'm just curious about you Eiji, because you just showed up out of nowhere one day. Where are you from I wonder, why are you here?"

Eiji froze.

 _If I show him, he may find out who I am..._

 _And, if he's asking questions..._

 _Not good! NOT GOOD!_

"I-I... Already told you! I've come here to study, and learn the ways of-!"

Kohaku silenced him, making Eiji unable to utter another word.

"I know that's not why. I have known for some time... please do not lie to me Eiji, that hurts."

He felt tears well up in his eyes.

 _No... I cannot fail..._

 _I CANNOT FAIL!_

He broke free of Kohaku's spell, and ran.

"I'm sorry!" He yelled.

He ran toward the town.

 _No, what have I done!?_

He ran past Chihiro, and she caught his arm.

"Eiji!? What's wrong? Hey..."

Eiji clenched his teeth together, tears streaming down his face.

"I... I think I just messed up with Kohaku."

Her eyes widened.

She sat Eiji down on the log bench near their home, and sat down next to him.

"You need to tell me exactly what happened." She said.

"There's no shame in mistakes, but we need to try and fix it if we can."

He looked down.

"He started asking questions... He really wanted to know where I was from. Mom, he's becoming curious, and we're running out of time."

Chihiro froze.

 _"Run! Chihiro! Just... Get out of here!"_

 _Chihiro felt her heart leap from her chest as this woman was being disolved into ash._

 _"Where!? Where do I go!?"_

 _She let out a painful groan, and Chihiro could see how the years had worn on her._

 _"You're running out of time..!"_

 _..._

The phrase began to replay itself in her head.

She let out a slow breath.

"I see... Well, this wasn't your fault Eiji. We can fix this... here, take this. Tell him it's from me."

She handed Eiji one of the orchids she had harvested for her bouquet of flowers. The ones she would set on the table.

He smiled softly.

"Not bad mom... yeah, he'll like that. He might still be mad at me for a while though..."

She laughed.

"Yeah? Well, a gift from the 'earth mother' should cheer him right up! At least a little bit anyway!"

Eiji laughed softly.

"Yeah, I guess he hasn't changed his mind on that one yet has he?"

Chihiro smiled warmly.

"It's like he's just as stubborn now as he is later on in life! Haku... I wonder what happened to this place? All of the roads are the same as the market village in purgatory, yet we're on earth..."

Eiji looked around.

"Mom, be careful. Someone could hear..."

Eiji heard a thunderous stomping as Neon tackled him to the ground, hunched over him. Chihiro jumped back.

"What on earth Neon!?" She exclaimed.

 _(EIIIIJJII! Where are they!? I sensed danger! Is someone... wait, you weren't in danger?)_

 _No... um, yeah..._

 _No._

 _(Oh, well why did you panic then? Don't do that to me.)_

 _I... it was Kohaku. Here, look at this memory, and don't worry, I have a plan. Mom helped with it this time._

 _..._

 _(Okay then... sorry Eiji, that must have been hard.)_

Eiji sighed.

"Yeah... it was, and it sucked, but oh well. I'll handle it."

Neon snorted in approval.

 _(That's right! You got this! And I... am NEON! Scouting in the lush fields of foliage, my fur like pink flowers in the large bushes I can hide in, completely camouflaged...)_

Eiji laughed and rolled his eyes, mounting Neon.

"Yeah, yeah! Come on you dork, before Yūjin catches wind of your jokes! He'll never get over it!"

Chihiro shook her head as she saw Neon and Eiji ride toward the the river again.

"I swear, those two! Sometimes I forget they're connected, and I wonder what the others must think?"

She smiled.

"Well, in the long run? That doesn't really matter."

...

Neon slowed as they approached the river, and Eiji stepped off of her, slowly approaching the now solemn feeling river. Kohaku was sitting there, and Eiji could tell he had hurt his feelings.

He went to touch his shoulder.

Kohaku spun around and looked at him angrily, tears streaming down his face as he yelled.

"Why!? I thought I could trust you and you LIED! Why do adults become like this!? I don't understand!"

Eiji remembered a time when he was a young child, and his father had lied to him for the first time.

This was probably a lot like that to Kohaku.

Eiji tried to speak, and closed his mouth abruptly as his own eyes filled with tears again.

He began to sob silently.

Kohaku's energy softened, and he put his hand on Eiji's shoulder.

It was light and ethereal.

"Y-You... don't want to hurt me do you?"

Eiji shook his head.

"N-No... I'm just trying to save you. Save everything and everyone... I'm sorry I can't show you where I'm from. H-Here... a gift from the earth mother."

Eiji set the flower on the ground.

Kohaku nurtured the flower, and Eiji gaped as he saw it sprout into a tree.

"There, now when my other half grows down to size, she'll have a boat. That tree will be made into a boat one day... did you know that?"

Eiji's heart began to pound heavily in his chest.

 _He knows...?_

 _What else does he know!?_

 _"More than you think... You are to be the seed of myself and my other half... whatever that means."_

 _You knew..._

Eiji remembered the story of how his mother and father met.

Chihiro fell out of a boat, and into his river chasing after her little pink shoe.

...Kohaku had saved her from his waters, and carried her safely to shore.

If this was the tree that would create that boat, then Eiji was meant to be the carrier of the seed that planted such a tree.

This was all supposed to happen.

Eiji's eyes widened.

"I... I'm supposed to be here. So, it really doesn't matter now, because I don't have to be as careful."

Kohaku smiled.

"Either way, it is written. All that is accounts for all that is to be... god's be still, I hope I never lose this wisdom."

Eiji felt as if the energy around him was coursing through his fingertips...

"All that is..."

Water shot out of the river and magnetized itself to Eiji, soaking his clothes.

Kohaku practically jumped with joy.

"You did it! You really ARE a MASTER Eiji!"

He felt a familiar feeling come over him.

 _River magic feels so similar to blood magic it's uncanny..._

 _"That is because blood is the water that flows through the rivers in your veins."_

 _How incredible..._

 _"Incredible indeed."_

 _But, what about the mantra?_

 _"A simple focus tool used to invoke a feeling that already exists inside of you..."_

Eiji breathed slowly.

"Wait... gods?"

Neon sat down, staring in awe and wonder.

 _(My mind... it was just, like, blown... woah. I need to digest the yumminess of that awesomeness._ )

Kohaku nodded.

"Yes, gods. Don't you know? There are immortals that are like gods... other than that? I have no clue."

Eiji gave him a flat look.

"Oh... that. Okay, that makes more sense."

Kohaku scoffed.

"Well, it's not as if my river extends into space... that would be so cool though."

Eiji smiled to himself.

"One day Kohaku, you will have such a river..."

Kohaku bubbled up with hope.

"You... You really think so!?"

Then a sadness fell over him.

"No... I sacrifice too much if I leave my river."

Eiji was confused.

"But... isn't that what you want? Haku, you won't be able able to have my mother unless you part with this river, isn't that...?"

Eiji realized what he had said.

"Wait! WAIT! I meant-!"

Kohaku cut him off.

"Where is this Haku, and..."

A look of shock crossed his features, and Eiji felt a shiver cross up his spine.

 _Dammit! Did I just fuck over the UNIVERSE!? Fuck me!_

...Kohaku's face went pale, and Eiji was just waiting for the ground to crumble from beneath his knees.

"This Haku... Eiji, is he trying to DEFILE the EARTH MOTHER!? This is OUTRAGEOUS!"

Eiji didn't know whether to cry with relief, or laugh hysterically.

Kohaku was still so innocent! It was adorable.

Completely adorable.

Eiji nodded, trying to keep his composure.

"Absolutely. He must be stopped..."

He was trying his hardest not to slip up and grin or laugh.

"Well, if he ever shows up here with that kind of nerve? I'll stop him, don't you worry."

Kohaku smiled softly.

"I don't know why things are this way, but I will see the earth mother again... but she has to grow young first, or so it is foretold."

Eiji eyed him curiously.

"Who foretells these things?"

Kohaku grinned mischievously, and Eiji felt an aura of excitement.

A deep feeling came over him, and his breath became shallow, his heart pounding with anxiety.

Meet me at the river at midnight, and you will have your answer..."

He fell back into the river.

Something was coming, of that Eiji was certain...

Something that would either prevent the end, or be the beginning of it.

He want sure he wanted to know anymore.


	30. Chapter 30

Chapter 30: My oh Maya, Earth? AGAIN!?

The hot sun was shining on Hiro's face, and the heat lingered on her skin as did the moisture in the air...

She took in a deep, long and fulfilling breath.

"Ahhh... Isnt this great?"

Kahn breathed out a sound of annoyed and tired discontent.

"No. Its hot, I have a headache. Its humid and muggy... Wait, those are the same... Can we please leave?"

Lilith let out a loud laugh.

"It's so fun when we decide to go to earth again! I love seeing Kahn get all sweaty and mortal like..."

Kahn blushed.

"Well, I- um..."

Lilith had a strap from her vibrant red sun dress hanging off of her shoulder, her left breast nearly exposed to the sunlight.

He began to stutter.

"U-Um, wow! I mean... Um... I can get much more sweaty if you... Wait, that came out-!"

She ran her fingers through his hair, biting his neck...

She whispered in his ear.

"Mmm... is my love overheating? It must be something in the air. Here, let's wander over to the lake, and I'll help you cool off, and release some of that pressure in your head..."

Kahn was beet red as he gave a sharp nod.

Lilith dragged him into the woods.

Max shook his head.

"Geeze... Those two are a wild bunch, eh Hiro?"

He looked over at her, sitting in contentment as she meditated.

He smiled.

"Relaxing suits you."

She grinned.

"Why thank you, I'm glad you think so..."

Her face fell.

"Max...?"

"What is it love?" He asked, not even thinking.

He froze, hoping she wouldn't pick up on that.

She did, and blushed softly... She wasn't intending on reacting to it externally, as far as Max could tell.

She continued with her original question.

"Max, I've been wondering... what was our life before this? It's like I see faces in my mind, and I have feelings attached to them, but no memories."

His heart skipped a beat.

 _What is she talking about...?_

 _She doesn't remember?_

"Hiro, it couldn't have been that long... I mean time is kind of immaterial at this point, but still."

She shook her head.

"That's just it though, it's... it seems like it's always been like that."

Max felt his heart pounding in his chest like a thousand crashing waterfalls.

He grabbed her shoulders.

"Hiro, who do you remember?"

He tried to stay as calm as possible.

Hiro nodded slowly.

"Let's see... I remember you, Kahn, Lilith, Eiji, we were dating... Um, Eiji's mom... Sh-Shisuta... Nori and Emi... Haruka... Max, this is getting hard. Maybe it really doesn't matter."

"Just try." He prodded.

She gave him a wary look.

"Okay then..."

She breathed in slowly, and tried again.

"Eiji... Eiji had a dad, um... right? And... these three small... no, they weren't born...? Wait, that one is super fuzzy...Uwayaku-kuhn, and Sora... Nori knew them... Kuhn, and other leviathans... and... and that's it."

Max began to tremble.

 _This is bad, this is very bad!_

If it weren't for my amulet displacing Hiro in time, she may not be able to exist... wait, no...

She mentioned her sisters. They must still be alive.

She did not mention her mother, and anything surrounding her or rather inside of her was misplaced as well.

 _Something is allowing them to somehow survive in purgatory, but how!? That would require a d_ _isplacing of the time structure as well... There's nothing like that in purgatory!_

 _...Unless..._

 _The cavern. Something we have done, will do, or are doing already has caused the cavern to become a safe haven and a stable chronos space for Hiro's sisters._

 _I have to find the throne room and set things straight before all of these potential paradoxes get out of hand!_

 _The throne room has been shifty as of late, and extremely hard to locate..._

 _Where are you my stars, clouds, and sky?_

 _I need to find the answer before I lose the light of my life!_

 _My twin flame!..._

 _If she dies, there is nothing I can do!_

 _One cannot exist without the other!_

 _...Then perhaps this is why I can remember our past..._

 _I have become a living paradox as well, however both my origins and my more permanent displacement from all of time itself has allowed me to preserve my state from the moment I had turned immortal._

 _The only reason I age is because I age with Hiro, due to our imprinted connection from my leviathan days, which is now preserved by my immortality._

 _This also serves as a loophole in the great universe and it's gaps..._

 _Albeit very helpful right now, this could prove to be a problem if she say, dies in her mortal form._

 _That would be the perfect playground for a bunch of little paradoxes..._

 _Wait, I can prevent this!_

 _I could take Hiro to the pool of dreams after we are all safe and in bed at our cavern home._

 _If she were to become an immortal like me, it would close the open end she leaves by participating in time!_

 _It's like our soul is stuck in a loop that is both inside and outside of time..._

 _Wow, I really can fix this!_

Max smiled softly.

"It's okay Hiro... Sorry to pry, I was just curious. I'm sorry you can't remember, but I can help you fill in some blanks. Don't you worry..."

Hiro wrapped him into a hug.

"Thank you! Thank you so much!"

She smiled warmly.

"Thank you for trying to help me remember... You have always cared about me a lot. This much I know."

Max had this deep urge to pull her in and kiss her.

Just feel her...

Just this hug felt warm enough to last a lifetime, but he craved her.

He pulled away.

"Well, you came here to see the temples of Maya... let's go exploring shall we?"

A wild grin crossed her lips.

"I wonder if there are really crocodiles in there..."

The way she said that made Max worry.

 _Come on Hiro! Don't go dying right after I figure out how to save you!_

 _€She cannot be saved! I will destroy her Max! I will destroy YOU!€_

 _No, you won't Nephthys. I'm not playing this game today._

 _€You cheeky, brilliant little bastard! I'm still trying to figure out how you escaped... No matter. I realize what you are now, and I realize what she is not. I will be waiting for you at every corner, and I will fulfill the prophecy of her mortality, like all others that are mortal... She will DIE.€_

 _I have the power to evade you. You don't scare me._

 _€I don't scare you...?€_

A cackling laughter echoed in his mind.

 _€Deep down you know that I will always scare you. I haunt your every twisted nightmare... I am your demon Maxim...€_

 _Just... Get out of my head COW!_

He heard her twisted cackling fade from his mind.

He was back in Maya.

Hiro was leaning her face onto his, their eyes were gazing into each other.

Max realized he was shaking, and felt the remnants of tears that had reddened his eyes.

She gave a soft and solemn sigh.

"It's her again isn't it? That demon who tortured you..."

She pulled him in and held him...

"I don't remember why, but for some reason I know exactly how you feel. I'm here Max. You're my best friend, and I'm here... We don't have to visit the dangerous temples if you don't want to."

He clutched onto her softly, tears filling his eyes again.

The smell of her hair flowed into him, and it smelled warm like a kind of cinnamon.

He felt his body relax.

 _(I love you Hiro...)_

 _I love you too Max._

They both froze.

 _(She can read my mind again!?)_

 _He can read my mind!?_

 _I-I just told him I loved him!_

 _Well... I do._

 _But, I haven't made up my mind yet!_

 _(I know. Actually I've known for a few years now... I just didn't want to say anything because I wanted you to be sure.)_

They pulled away from each other.

Hiro held her head in her hands.

"But, I just don't know Max. I'm sorry."

He had a feeling he knew what was coming.

She was going to reject him.

 _If... If I would have just let her make up her mind! Why did my mind seal break!?_

 _(Mind seal...?)_

Max let out a heavy breath.

"Yes... I'm sorry. I sealed my mind off from you so that you wouldn't have to deal with my nightmares. It also protects your mind from her."

Hiro's eyes widened, remembering Max's terrible flashbacks of what she had done to him.

She practically tackled him in a hug.

"Actually!? Thank you! I can help you much more when I'm not having flashbacks with you. Being emotionally incapacitated sucks."

His heart fluttered.

 _She just gets it! She's not even mad..._

 _Oh god... Just once!_

 _Then I'll go back to waiting!_

He pulled her in and kissed her, breathing in her scent.

Hiro's face went completely red.

Max showered her lips in soft kisses...

"Hiro... god, you're so beautiful Hiro."

Her body felt warm, as if her form was melting into some kind of beautiful fire.

She pulled him in, her kisses filled with heat and passion.

Her lips moved down his neck and up his jawline.

She ran her fingers through his hair, lightly pulling it, ravishing him in soft bites and kisses.

Max began to moan as his queen took control of this session.

"G-God...! It's like you can read... Well, technically you can, but still!"

She began to laugh.

"God, that's the dorkiest thing ever! I love it!"

He grinned.

"Well, I just so happen to be an incredible nerd. Let's see... I wrote the most popular romantic tragedy in existence, complete with extremely codependent characters, unrealistic expectations, and steamy river spirits that forever make the Disney Princess complex look like a nice walk in the park!"

Hiro was rolling around on the ground, laughing up a storm.

"That's awesome! I don't get the last part, but it's awesome!"

Max laughed softly shaking his head.

"You wouldn't get that last part... it's a 20th to 21st century earth reference. Oh, and did I mention I am also a history buff?"

Hiro gave him a flat look.

"No, not at all!... it's not as if we've been time traveling or anything."

He smiled.

"I'm really glad I could take you with me..."

She leaned in and kissed him softly.

"I'm glad I'm falling in love with you, and that we're here together."

Max pulled her in, and felt his heart warm...

As long as they were together, there was no place they couldn't be happy.

Well... almost no place.


End file.
